A Falling Star's Last Wish
by empireofapples
Summary: Lie on your back and look at the stars. What do you see? Do you see destiny? Do you see the truth of everything, and yet more lies? Do you see something change, yet stay the same? Do not fear the stars, they are there to grant your every wish. UkitakeOC
1. Prologue

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**P R O L O G U E**

_I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather... Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. _

I was walking in the rain. My entire kimono was soaked right through so the cold water would hit my skin. My hair was falling down, small pins dropping into the mud. The geta I wore were slipping in the same wet dirt. Okaa-san would not be happy with my make-up being ruined like such and washing down onto the silk design. It was not my fault that I had been held up at the tea shop with Tatsumaki-dono.

This time I did slip and fall. My fan and kanzashi were lost somewhere in the dark. I barely caught a glimpse of it as light flashed across the dark clouds. The rain came down harder. I wiped the mud from my eyes, ignoring the sting in them, and pulled myself back up. I was almost home.

Within minutes I was being forced into a hot bath and having to listen as my okaa-san nagged and nagged on how she was going to get the money to pay the lady on the corner to clean the mud out. I would have better liked it if she had pulled me into her arms, no matter how dirty I was, and whispered to me how glad she was that I was safe.

I continued to do my job as a geisha. With my cousins and me bringing in the money with a steady pace, my okaa-san forgot all about my ruined kimono and bought me a new one. The old one was still washed, but put away until farther use of it – if any.

Then I grew sick.

Okaa-san began to nag me again. Had I caught something from one of our clients? Was I sleeping around? Did I have a relationship going on behind their backs? I answered no to the last two, but the first I was uncertain. Maybe it was from that night where I got caught in the rain… I still had yet to find my fan or kanzashi. They were my favorite, too.

I didn't get better.

I stayed in my room for two weeks. Miji would always bring me something to eat. She was such a good little sister.

"Nee-san, what's going to happen to you?" she asked me one day. I had my bad resting against a pillow up against the wall as I quietly ate my lunch. I would cough every few minutes. My throat burned no matter how much cold water I drank.

I tried to smile at Miji, but it only turned into a grimace. I was still in so much pain.

"I don't know, Miji-chan. I could get better or…"

Or, I could die from this idiotic illness that has befallen me.

"Or…?" Miji may be young, but she was not lame.

"We will cross that bridge once we must. For the time being, let us enjoy what we can."

I died that night. Miji was not at my side, she was sound asleep right down the hall. I had been coughing for almost half an hour before I couldn't anymore. I had knocked the breath out of myself. I wheezed to try and get more into my lungs, but it was hopeless. I took one more breath, and my chest stopped.

The last thing I saw was a star falling… falling… disappearing into the night's horizon.

I remember roaming the town for a few days before I was finally pushed along through this bright light, and reborn again – in a world that I had never known; born as a hime of the Tenshiheisōban, the noble Shihōuin family.

I was from then known as Shihōuin Okitetsu.

As I grew over the next few decades, I noticed how souls did not age as quickly as humans did. I also noticed the growing hunger that ached in the depths of my stomach. Okaa-san gave me lessons everyday over how to correctly follow the law of a noble. I could remember bits and pieces of my life back as a human, so I evidently learned customs and traditions quickly. I was able to put on my own kimono by the time I was around the human age of ten.

The hunger became more.

Things – monsters commonly known Hollows – plagued my mind. Whenever I would close my eyes for rest, I would see a woman wielding a short katana striking at the pure-white masks of the beast. On her back was the kanji for 'ni'. I asked okaa-san about these dreams, but she only told me to forget of the nonsense and get back to my lessons. Whenever I had a moment with otou-san, I asked him the same.

He sighed, knowing something I didn't, and began to explain many things.

Why I was hungry, unlike the many others in the manor. Why many of the servants would come near me, when I was angry and some of them had somehow become unconscious. Why I had such dreams…

He spoke of something known as reiryoku and reiatsu, farther explaining of the katana (a kodachi as he called it) and what it was used for.

Many years later (more decades had passed), I was sat down in a room with a man, looking just as old as otou-san, and asked to do a few things. I created a ball of glowing dark violet. I had never done that before. Then I was asked to relax; fall asleep and yet still be conscious. I felt the enormous pressure that had always been in my chest go away. I swore I heard someone choke, though. After I was asked to show my ability with a weapon, otou-san seemed very hesitate but allowed it. I was able to swing it a few times, but my weak arms could not do much more. I was used to holding fans rather than swords. I continued to do small tests, mostly to do with that once glowing orb of dark violet and more with physical ability, until the man asked to speak with otou-san alone.

I sat with Maiko, my ninsapu, in the hall just outside the office. I couldn't hear what otou-san and the man were saying, though. After waiting for some time, he came out and we went home. Later that week I was packing my things, mostly a few yukata, hakama that I could wear when out at the market, and a few happi to wear with my hakama (all had the Shihōuin crest embroidered in them).

Maiko-chan gave me many kisses and hugs, quickly passing off a small gift into my hand before otou-san whisked me away. There was a short ceremony; all students were given their uniforms and a bokken. I was well aware that I would soon grow muscle – okaa-san would not be happy to see her only daughter become a warrior when she had taught me to be as elegant as a butterfly when walking. My fingers were still sore from practicing with the shamisen.

And from there… the shooting star's wish starts to come true.

**Author's Note: **

It feels so good to be writing a Bleach fanfic again. I should really be working on my One Piece fic, seeing as it is my most popular one, but I have seemed to hit a road block with that one. I know what I want to write, but I just can't seem to write it. So, I decided to try and work on Supernova… and this is where it got me.

The Prologue skips around quite a bit, but it's only setting the background story. Of course, Tale's name is Okitetsu here. In Supernova, I never got to tell that her real name wasn't Tale, just a nickname but everyone calls her that. It gets very tiring to say Okitetsu, and spell it, every other sentence.

I've also done a lot more research for the story, unlike Supernova. I have learned something new… Juushiro writes books! Ha! I couldn't help but snicker at that… Annndddd… I sorta-kind of-not-really-that-much-completely changed her zanpakutou too. And yes, that was foreshadowing you saw earlier; of course, duh.

There are a few words in here that some of you might not know, but I tried to fit in what it meant somewhere near it (I.E. putting in parenthesis, adding it somewhere in the next sentence, etc.) But of course, I can't always do that, so I'll put the meanings down here.

_Geta – are a special type of shoe that only geisha wear_

_Kanzashi – hair pins_

_Otou-san – father_

_Okaa-san – mother _

_Ni – two _

_Kodachi – a Japanese sword too short to be a katana but too long to be a dagger; somewhat close to a wakizashi_

_Reiryoku - the amount of energy a being has stored within their body or soul  
vs.  
Reiatsu - the pressure that a person's Reiryoku exerts_

_Ninsapu – nanny, nurse, etc_

_Yukata – a kimono worn during the summer time or to small festivals_

_Happi – a jacket worn to show the crest of one's household or alliance_

_Shamisen – a three stringed instrument_

That's all for now… Go read the first chapter. /grin.

Also, before I forget. At the top of the story, there's a tool bar. It has different ways that you can format the stories you read. Personally, I find it much easier to read if you make the story a ¾ format (or ½ is fine too) and not full. It actually looks better too. (And it makes it looks longer… Shhh, don't tell anyone I said that. /wink.)

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Ukitake Juushiro. No, I don't own a Zanpakutou. No, I don't own _Bleach_. Yes, I do own bleach, that you clean your clothes with, and I do own a plastic light-up sword, and I do own a plushie – but that's it. Okitetsu (Tale) is obviously mine and I'm damn proud of it. Anything else you see in here that isn't owned by Tite Kubo is owned by moi. Please feel free to use them whenever you like, as long as you get my permission. Please and Thank you! :)


	2. Chapter One

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R O N E**

_The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows._

"HAH!"

_CLASH._

"HUH!"

_CLASH._

"AHH!"

_CLASH_.

The class watched as two students simultaneously attacked their sensei to try and get the scarf that hung from around his neck. The old man was stopped, if only momentarily, and one was able to grab it just in time to yank it away before the teacher was able to move away. The class cheered and clapped, happy that someone was finally able to go against the man and win.

The bokken they yielded was placed into the obi of their uniform and the two students bowed to their superior.

"You have done well, Ukitake, Kyōuraku. The Gotei Thirteen would gladly accept shinigami like yourselves into their ranks. You may return to your seat."

The two remained in their bow, "Arigatou gozaimasu, Yamamoto-sensei." After doing so, the two friends stood up straight and walked over to the mats that the students sat upon while another pair stood to do the same.

The slightly small group of fourth years of the Shinō Academy watched on, again, as a duet turned into a trio. Within only ten minutes later, a loud gong was sounded, motioning that class was over and they had five minutes to get to their next one. The two sparring students stopped in mid-swing and bowed quickly to their sensei before placing their bokken in the correct spot on the rack and running out of the training room into the bustling halls.

"Why are _we_ always picked last, Jin-chan? I never get to show anyone my abilities," complained one fair haired, fair skinned shinigami in training.

Hiworti Jinsu shrugged, unable to answer her friend's question, and slipped her zanpakutou the obi around her waist. The students had been practicing with bokken for weeks now, long after they were able to be allowed a sword. Many knew their zanpakutou's name, other were just getting the hang of actually wielding a sword and not using a big "bamboo stick", as some called it.

"Asa, we have weeks left before we will even get the chance to fight with real katanas. Just be peaceful and watch the other's fighting style. We have the upper hand after all. They have no clue of how we fight." Jinsu did have a point there, Asa thought to herself silently. The fair haired shinigami-in-training sighed and did the same with her olive-green hilted zanpakutou.

"You do have a point there..." She mused aloud, running a hand through her short blonde tresses of hair. Asa folded her arms under her chest and continued to walk in silence with her friend, although the two were soon halted in the middle of the hall as a large man dressed in black stopped them from continuing and glanced behind him to watch as a short dark caramel skinned girl walked down the hall. From the embroider on the sleeve of her uniform, they could tell she was merely a second year.

This infuriated Asa. Why was a second year getting so much attention? The little girl, her unusually royal purple hair swinging behind her to all the way down to her waist, disappeared into a classroom and the man disappeared. Another gong sounded throughout the school. Jinsu and Asa were now both late for class.

"Kuso," both cursed under their breath and took off into a run to the kidō building where their next class was. When they arrived, Yaturi-sensei was not happy to find them late. As both were humiliated in front of their small class, Asa's thoughts trailed off to the dark-skinned girl from earlier in the hall. It was unusual for something like that to happen. And what was with the color of her hair? Only one person had that hair color, and it was from a kidō spell gone wrong (obviously it went back to the normal black, though).

**-starlightstarbright-**

The Hohō class sat in a tense silence as the teacher began to explain the many things about 'shunpo' and 'senka'. Their eyes would glance over at the one student that sat by herself. Shihōuin Okitetsu. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, but even then it would flow down past her waist. If she wasn't so short then it wouldn't seem so long. Okitetsu was shorter than almost all the other students there, only a few first years rivaled her for the spot. She sat with her hands folded in her lap in her seat with two masculine men sitting next to her.

The dark eyes would meet their own and cause all of the students to quickly turn their attention back on their sensei. It seemed Okitetsu was the only one unfazed by the tension in the air.

The Shihōuin hime sat with much elegance. It made many of the other girls in the class jealous for some of the (braver) boys couldn't keep their eyes off of the princess. If only she wore taller... some mused to themselves.

"Shunpo is best summarized, as taking the least amount of steps from one place to another?"

With the tension finally loosened up (barely) only after Okitetsu had asked that question, the class farther focused on their studies. The small girl could only get a ghost of a smile touch her lips before she went back to paying full attention. The two guards sat, bored, with their arms crossed. An evident "don't-even-think-about-it" etched on their faces.

Close to an hour and a half later, another gong rang out; lunch time. Immediately, all the other students started to talk amongst themselves and leave to go have their bento. Okitetsu stood, the guards following, gave a bow to her sensei and started to walk. The teacher watched after them, sighed, and grabbed a brush to grade papers with. On top, was Okitetsu.

The moment he started to read the essay, he knew she had known the answer to her question.

Okitetsu was followed by her guards, only a few feet inbetween them, out onto the courtyard where students were allowed to eat. There was a large room also full of tables and seats also, but it was such a beautiful late spring - almost early summer - day that she ignored Kasu and Loki's pleads to stay inside. She walked around groups of students, ignoring their eyes on her guards and herself, and quickly looked for a spot. She found one, not too far from everyone yet not to close, on the veranda outside of an empty classroom. Kasu handed her, her bento (not exactly happy with the fact that he wasn't following Okitetsu's mother's orders) and sat beside her with Loki sitting on the other side.

"Itadakimasu," all three said. Okitetsu pulled her chop sticks out of a linen napkin and set the fabric over her folded knees. Kasu and Loki did the same.

As the hime was about to take a bite of her rice, a voice stopped her. "What's with Big and Bigger?" She looked up, surprised, and tilted her head. The fair haired one that had spoken had her hands place on her hips.

"I'm sorry for her interruption of your meal. Asa usually isn't this rude," the dark haired one that apologized for her friend nudged the Asa she was speaking of in the ribs. Asa only rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

Okitetsu shook her head, "No, it's alright. I should be apologizing for Kasu's behavior this morning. I told him not to stop any students but he usually doesn't listen that well..." She glanced over to her left as 'Big' slumped down a bit. "I hope you weren't late for class."

"Actually, we were," cut in Asa with a small sneer. Okitetsu bowed her head.

"I ask that you will forgive us then. Hopefully I can make it up to you somehow."

"How about answering my question?" The hime blinked, just remembering Asa's question, and nodded.

"Of course. My name is Shihōuin Okitetsu. 'Big and Bigger', as you put it, are my guards that mother gave me - Kasu and Loki." Students that were close enough to hear stopped their conversations to gape in pure amazement.

Jinsu immediately bowed. Asa just looked at Jinsu like she was crazy. Jin elbowed her friend again. "Please, forgive our intrusion, Shihōuin-hime. I am Hiworti Jinsu. Asa-san does not know much of nobility and such. She is from the Rukongai."

Okitetsu gave a sheepish look and held up her hands, waving for them to stand up straight. "Please, don't use any honorifics or bow and such with me while I am here or at all for that matter. I'm simply a second year student who is here to learn. Both are you are much stronger than myself. It is a pleasure to meet both of you, Jinsu-senpai, Asa-senpai."

Asa rolled her eyes at her friend and pulled her up by her shoulder-blade length dark hair. "See, Jin, she's just a harmless little brat who got here because of her father's status." Okitetsu blinked. Jinsu became a bit stiff at the comment. "Now com'on, let's go find a place before all of 'em are taken." Asa grabbed for Jinsu's arm -

"Would you like to sit with me? I can ask Kasu and Loki to move, they won't mind." The two guards didn't even get the chance to protest.

Jinsu almost bowed, again, but refrained herself and pulled Asa down with her onto the veranda. "Thank you..." She didn't know what to call her; no honorifics, after all.

"Tale, please, call me Tale." Okitetsu gave a pearly grin. Asa raised a brow in thought.

"That's a weird name to be called. It a nickname?" The hime nodded her head. "Where'd it come from?"

Okitetsu continued to grin. "Would you like to find out?" Asa seemed a bit hesitant, not knowing what was going to happen, but nodded anyways.

"Well... once upon a time there was a samurai and a hime…"

**-thefirststariseetonight-**

"...and with one last breath, Kyumaru took the blood soaked katana at his side and stabbed the man before him. Hanotou stood, interrupted in the middle of his evil-encrusted monologue and began to cough as blood filled his lungs. Waiting for Kyumaru, was his beloved hime. Her eyes never filled with such happiness. But as Kyumaru let go of the katana, he did the same with his life."

Jinsu and Asa sat stock still, as they listened to the end of Okite- _Tale_'s story.

"That was..." Jinsu tried to find the right word in her vocabulary to finish her sentence, but couldn't. Her new friend sat in front of the two, her bento box left to the side untouched. Asa and Jinsu had listened to the story while eating, but halfway through Jinsu was so choked up that she couldn't finish chewing. The dark haired student quickly wiped her eyes. Asa didn't even noticing that she was crying.

"Beyond the words in Jin's book. Where did ya hear that story from?"

Tale fiddled with the sleeve of her uniform and hid her eyes with her bangs. She mumbled something...

"What was that, Tale-san?" Jinsu asked, still wiping at her slightly bloodshot eyes.

"I just made it up."

Asa's eyes widened just a bit more. "Like, before you told us or-"

"Just now. I just made it up as I told it." Tale lifted her head and smiled. Kasu and Loki sat off to the side as they chatted over something, having heard the whole story but used to their hime's tales that she would tell.

"Amazing..." Jinsu breathed out. Asa nodded and looked at her now cold food. Just as she grabbed for her chopsticks to finish, another gong rang signaling that class would soon begin.

Tale stood and gave a small bow, Jinsu and Asa standing also (slightly surprised by the little princess) as Kasu and Loki picked up the fallen napkin, bento and chopsticks. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Jinsu-senpai, Asa-senpai. I hope that we can do this again tomorrow." Jinsu smiled, having cleaned her eyes and cheeks.

"Of course. It's a good change to finally have someone to eat with that doesn't steal your food every now and then." Asa only scoffed and pulled her friend away.

"Com'on before we're even later than we need be."

Tale watched as her two newest friends walked away to their new class, chattering over something. She glanced behind herself to look at Kasu and Loki. She smiled. "Maybe this place isn't so bad after all..." she muttered and began to walk off to her next class, hakuda. The two dressed in black guards followed behind with all their loyalty put into protecting the little girl's life.

**Author's Note:**

Just in case you're thinking it, no, Tale is not younger than the students. In all actuality, she's older by many years. She's just really short… for right now. She hits a growth spurt… soon.

More words that you don't know! …now which ones were they?

_Bokken – wooden practice katana_

_Hohō – a class teaching shunpo and such_

_Hakuda – a class on physical strength and endurance_

Now, go read chapter two! /grin.


	3. Chapter Two

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R T W O**

_Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend._

The group of fourth years of the Shinō Academy stood quietly outside a large building that was used for one purpose and one purpose only... zanpakutou training. All were giddy with restlessness. Today, they would be receiving their much wanted katana that would be with them for the rest of their shinigami career. Many had not gotten a wink of sleep the night before just to make sure they would make it on time. Many were close to an hour early. The whole day they would be spending their time in this one building. The only ones that knew how to receive a zanpakutou were sworn into secrecy.

Soon they would be given the honor of knowing.

Tale had received only one piece of advice from her two closest friends, Jinsu and Asa.

_"Don't sleep any the night before."_

And she didn't sleep any the night before. Her whole night, Tale would be taking to herself, telling some random story that popped into the top of her mind, or even writing them down to tell Maiko whenever she saw her old nanny again, or Asa and Jinsu.

Tale waited for the sun to rise for over ten hours, and much to her liking, it did. Although she had to wait an awfully long time. She stood in a fresh clean uniform that morning, bags under her eyes like most of the other fifty or so students, and leaned against the wall so she could stand up right. If it were to her liking, she would be asleep on her lovely futon with whatever weird dreams decided to run through her mind.

A gong sounded, startling almost all of them into full conscious. The doors slid open. No one walked out. The students at the front were a bit hesitant, not knowing what was going to happen, but took a step inside. Everyone followed, Tale lost somewhere in the middle of the small crowd.

They walked through a dimly lit hall. After a minute or so of soft whispers to friends, the shinigami in training came to two sliding doors. There was no light coming from the other side to filter through the thin paper. There were no sounds. Genki, one of the older boys of the group, took over his "role" as a leader and walked forward - the doors snapped open. He jumped back a bit; Tale gave a silent laugh under her breath.

Candle light could be seen just faintly.

"Take a seat quickly and quietly," they heard the voice of Yamamoto-sensei. Everyone quickly filtered in, finding a seat on a soft pillow; each pillow had a candle beside it. Tale sat somewhere near a wall, close to the front. Every student had a diameter of close to two and a half meters separating them from the others. Suddenly she wished Kasu and Loki were still her guards. The darkness felt eerie.

"Please follow directions as told. If done incorrectly there will be many consequences." The students stayed quiet, waiting for the first instruction. Tale tugged at a strand of her long royal purple hair, her golden eyes flashing with a bit of concern. "Close your eyes and relax, let off a small amount of reiatsu while doing so."

Tale could hear many deep breaths being taken, and the sudden feel of reiatsu filled the room. The pressure pushed on her shoulders, but she pushed back with the same amount with her own spirit energy. With her legs crossed, hands folded elegantly in her lap, and breath coming in equal amounts of calm, Tale felt the exhaustion start to take control. She fought to stay away, but something told her not to.

"Next..." She didn't hear the rest for she had already fallen asleep as the cousin of death abruptly took over her mind.

Tale felt like her soul was being pulled away from her body, yet still intact. From behind closed eyes, she could tell a light had been turned on. Her hearing was not well, almost like someone had stuffed her ears with cotton. She deeply wished to not be like this. It felt worse than having to spend all of her holidays from the academy alone. Her father was busy with noble affairs, her mother no longer looked at her like a little doll that she had once shaped perfectly, and her brother was too busy with his own friends - the sons of many nobles that came to the manor a few times a year.

"Shihōuin-san, you may open your eyes." Tale's brow furrowed slightly, having never heard the voice that talked to her. She did as it said and could only gape in awe at what she saw.

It was the academy all over again, but there weren't souls training there to become shinigami. She didn't know what to call the beings that surrounded her. She could see all of her other classmates 'waking up' from their small trance, some being more stubborn about finally getting some sleep. A hand reached out and she took it, standing up from the pillow that she had been sitting on. The spirit, dressed in an elegant outfit that she couldn't even describe, gave a small bow to the student.

"Shihōuin-san, I am Fezajuuniji, your Yaturi-sensei's zanpakutou. It is a pleasure for me to be helping you find your new friend." Tale bowed in return, amazed at all the zanpakutou spirits that were surrounding the students. They always looked happy to finally be picked. "Everyone here shall receive a Zanpakutou, no matter if the wielder or katana is pleased or not. Please, look around. You will know your Zanpakutou when you see him or her."

Tale was left alone from then on as Fezajuuniji walked off to help another confused student. She took a few steps forward, almost ambushed by a small pair of spirits that were rushing toward their wielder. Tale looked to make sure she was not in any immediate danger and walked forward to see the full room. Other students were already talking with their zanpakutou, asking for their name and such. Tale felt immediately left out when no one rushed toward her or she saw anything that caught her attention.

She panicked. The zanpakutou had said she would find her 'new friend' but where was he or she? All of the zanpakutous were different from one another, each having a unique outfit and looks, unlike the students who were wearing uniforms. Tale fiddled with her sleeve.

"Are you Shihōuin Okitetsu?" Tale spun around, seeing a young male tilt his head at her. She nodded, opening her mouth to ask her own question but it was drowned out with a squeal.

"Oki-chan, look! Isn't he adorable?" Tale's shoulders slumped slightly at the sound of one of her 'friend's' voice. Hanaru wasn't exactly what she called a friend, but whenever class called for pairs they would immediately pair up. Tale only nodded, not really wanting to do anything farther. "Aw, what's wrong Oki-chan? Haven't you found your zanpakutou yet?" Hanaru skipped up, leaning on the balls of her feet with her hands clasped behind her. The hime shook her head.

A voice sounded amongst the large group. "All students who have received their zanpakutou, will you please return to your seat to have farther instructions." Yamamoto stood at the front of the room with his zanpakutou beside him, some students amazed at what they saw. Hanaru turned away from the teacher and to her friend.

"You'll find 'em, Oki-chan. This is helping them figure out who has and hasn't!" Tale waved to her friend and watched as the room started to become less and less crowded. Soon... there were only two people left in the room. All eyes were on the two. Tale bit her lip, muttering a prayer that the other was her zanpakutou and turned to face the spirit. The atmosphere in the whole room changed for Tale at that moment.

Standing exactly five meters from her was an elegantly dressed spirit. She wore a black kimono, splashes or white here and there as if it were a night sky full of stars. A pale blue obiage could be seen poking out from underneath a slightly cream-colored yellow obi that was tied in a Darari musubi knot. The obijime, the color of navy blue, was tied securely around her waist. Almost all of the students had gone silent. In the spirits hands was a kodachi - black sheath with a hilt of the same pale yellow as the spirit's obi.

"Shihōuin-san, report back to your seat with your zanpakutou." Tale stumbled forward, surprised at the sudden speed that her zanpakutou's spirit had just moved to stand beside her.

"Come, Okitetsu-sama. We must not infuriate your sensei." The spirit gave a small bow to her wielder. Tale swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, gently taking the spirit's elbow and walking over to her seat. Now beside the soft pillow she had sat on was another. The spirit sat beside her, the lights began to dim again. As Tale took a quick glance around, there were a few pillows obviously empty. The students had not followed the directions correctly somehow. Genki was among that group. She felt slight pity for him; Genki had worked hard for his spot at top of the class.

The same directions came. "Close your eyes and relax, let off a small amount of reiatsu while doing so." Tale followed again, easily, but this time the want for sleep did not come. She felt a hand gently take her arm.

"Naitekiyo," the spirit whispered. Tale was thrown away from her body yet again. This time, the distant sounds of a festival were heard. Tale's golden eyes snapped open. She was sitting on an open grassy field. Out in the distance she could see the lights of a town that was having a festival. It was night time here; the stars were like a map of the world. She swore she could see the whole universe from that one spot.

"Is it to your liking, Okitetsu-sama?" Tale looked to her left, her zanpakutou spirit sitting beside her with her hands folded into her lap. It reminded her so much of the times her mother had taught her about the ways of nobility and how to be a proper young lady... Maybe that was who she was deep down... And Hanaru was a good looking young man deep down, too.

Tale nodded. The spirit reach to her left, picking up the kodachi she had had in her hand when Tale first saw her. She reached her left hand out, handing it off to Tale. The princess gently took it, the sheath in her right and the hilt in her left. Tale had always been left handed when it came to things.

"I am here to help you whenever needed, Okitetsu-sama. I am your friend, your protector, and your weapon. I hope we can do many things for the rest of our time together." Tale glanced up at the spirit.

"When will I learn your name?"

The spirit smiled, "When you are ready, Okitetsu-sama." The world around Tale disappeared, back into the training room that she had entered earlier that morning. Tale looked down at the flickering candle, it was almost out. She glanced around at the others, some also just now coming back from the adventure of the day, and others still stuck. Tale could feel the kodachi clutched in her left hand. She would never leave her newest, and truest, friend.

Tale stood, some of her classmates surprised that she did such a thing when Yamamoto had not said anything, and made eye contact with her sensei. Something had changed in Tale right then. She was no longer the quiet princess that had been told to follow every order she was given. She was no longer the girl with few friends and liked it that way. She was no longer the one to always stand in the back. From then on, there was no more Shihōuin Okitetsu. It was just Tale.

She turned away after a few seconds, and walked in between students to the closed sliding doors. They snapped open as she reached out to open them herself. Tale walked out of the building a new person, Jinsu and Asa both waiting with anxious smiles.

"So, how'd it go?" Asa asked, her arms crossed over her chest like they were most of the time.

Tale walked up to them, having finally grown to the same height as her friends, and grinned, "Could have been worse."

**Author's Note:**

I absolutely loved writing this chapter. The whole zanpakutou-have-an-academy-thing was completely made up by my cheesy-bread influenced mind. Ask me permission if you are ever going to use Ikoinō Academy - yes I named it (but I'll probably still say yes anyways. I just want to know what you're using it for. I don't bite… hard.)

Also. If you've noticed on the earlier chapters where it goes from scene to scene without a break in the page – it's because FF decided to be stupid and not put them there. There aren't any in this chapter since it's a straight scene, but I don't want people yakking at me about it. Now, who was confused on some words?

_Fezajuuniji – basically means "feather of midnight"… don't ask._

_Obiage, obi, obijime – basically a sash (or cord) that is tied around the person's waist over their kimono_

_Darari musubi knot – you'll have to look this one up; all it is, is a type of knot that the obi is tied into _

_Naitekiyo – literally means "Inner World"_

Review for me, please? /puppy dog eyes.


	4. Chapter Three

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R T H R E E**

_You're searching... For things that don't exist; I mean beginnings. Ends and beginnings - there are no such things. There are only middles._

Tale silently began to pack her bag. Today was her last day as a fourth year at Shinō Academy. It was also the last day she would spend with Asa and Jinsu. Her two closest friends would be graduating today, and happily be hand-selected by the twelve captains, and one acting-captain lieutenant, of the Gotei Thirteen. Tale knew that she was very happy for her friends, knowing that they would move on and do great things the next two years that she wasn't with them, but she also felt jealous. She had heard of a few students that had finished the academy years early, why couldn't she be like that?

She packed the rest of her small little knick-knacks and closed her bags. Maiko would come and get them from her room while she was at the ceremony. Tale looked out her small window and at the large clock tower in the middle of the courtyard. She had half an hour to get to the ceremony or she would be late. Asa and Jinsu wouldn't be happy if she was late. Hopefully not all of the seats were full yet...

"I better hurry, then," Tale muttered to herself and grabbed her zanpakutou off her futon and ran out of her room. She followed the many other students that were on their way to the ceremony. She hurried past most them, wanting to get a good seat near the front.

Within moments of making it to the open courtyard filled with chairs and a small stage, the ceremony had begun...

The graduating class of shinigami came out, all dressed in their black and white Shihakushōu; some had even gone ahead and given it their own customization. Like Asa. Tale could instantly pick out her friend. The fair haired, light skinned new shinigami had ripped away the sleeves of her uniform, exchanged the white obi for an olive green one, and she even had a pair of black fingerless gloves.

Jinsu, her changes not as noticeable as Asa's, was just a simple change in making the Shihakushōu tighter than and not as baggy as it was on everyone else. Although everyone could notice the pale pink ribbon tied around her neck and matching head scarf holding back her flowing dark brown hair.

Tale was on the edge of her seat as she waited for everything to unfold. Asa had told her that there would be a surprise for her to see at this graduation, unlike the other three she had seen.

"Now, I would like to proudly present our fiftieth graduating class from Shinō Academy!" All the parents, siblings, friends, and watching students stood up to clap and cheer. As soon as they did, the little "surprise" began to unfold.

A long rope, though to have just been there to hold up the back wall of the stage, snapped and began to rush to the center of the stage... where a large bucket (obviously full) began to tip over. Yamamoto-sensei, as wise and keen to noticing things, did not have time to react as the large bucket of water splashed onto his head. Many students stood shocked that the man had been caught off guard so easily. Others were in fits of laughter. Especially Asa. Jinsu stood beside her friend, head resting in her palm as she shook her head. It was too obvious to tell who had done the trick. Asa was practically on the floor out of breath.

Tale shook her head, grinning ear to ear at her friend's antics. She knew Asa was going to pay for that one.

Tale waited for the crowd to clear out so she could go to her friends. Asa had gotten an ear full from all the teachers, Jinsu standing not far away as she watched Asa just grin ear to ear, her fox like eyes glinting with mischief. Tale knew of all the new pranks running through her friend's head.

"How you were picked to be an eighth seat of the Seventh Division, I will never understand," Jinsu muttered as she was finally able to pull her friend away to go and meet up with Tale one last time.

Asa rolled her eyes. "Like you have anywhere to talk, Miss Third Seat of the Twelfth Division." Jinsu did the same.

"You're just jealous."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"Am _not_!"

"Are too."

"Am not, are too, what?"

Jinsu and Asa turned their attention away from their banter and looked at Tale. They had always seen her in either a uniform or her hakama and happi that she wore to the market. Never, had the two new shinigami seen their little princess-friend in a yukata and her hair properly put up into the bun it was in.

"Sugoi..." Asa whispered, surprised. Tale was even wearing make up! Tale tilted her head. "You really _do_ look like a hime now, Tale. I can see why so many guys are looking at you like a piece of meat." Tale's face lit up into a bright pink. That was why she rarely wore her yukata. She only wore it because her mother would be very displeased for her to come home and not be in one. And with just her luck, she had to wear nothing but them for the next month for the academy's 'summer holiday', like humans had in their world for school.

"So, how does it feel to be shinigami, you two?" Tale quickly tried to change to subject to get rid of her flush. Asa shrugged, Jinsu gave a small smile.

"Not that much different as when being a student. We're still learning, we're still meeting new people. The only difference is we're sent on missions to kill Hollows daily."

Asa pulled on the sleeve of Jinsu's Shihakushōu. "Hey, com'on. We gotta go congrat Juu and Shunsui on making captain." Tale's eyes widened. Two graduates had been picked to be captains? Jinsu looked at the crowded new-taichou and then back to her friend.

"Come on, Tale, you can come with us." Jinsu pulled Tale by her arm as Asa pulled her. The three cut through the crowd easily and made it to the pair of captains. One with short white hair was surrounded by a few black haired little girls and a couple of black haired boys. The other, with wavy short brown hair and light stubble was grinning as he held another little black haired child. Were the two related?

"Juu-kun, Shunsui! Congrats are making us all feel like a bunch of useless twats," Asa said, slapping 'Juu-kun' on the back and kicking 'Shunsui' in the back of the knee. Jinsu quickly grabbed the small child before 'Shunsui' could drop him. 'Juu-kun' jerked forward a bit at the slap and gave a sheepish look to Asa.

"I really don't know what to say to that, Asa-san. I assume I'll just have to congratulate you on making eighth seat and Jinsu-san on making third seat."

"How about you just give me your spot..." Tale could hear Asa mutter, and she couldn't help but laugh. Shunsui quickly recovered from the kick at his leg and leaned over to get a better look at the chuckling fourth year.

"Hmm? Who's this little beauty that you haven't introduced us to, Asa-chan~" Tale blushed, stopping her laughing.

Asa grinned and wrapped her arm around Tale's shoulders and pulled her forward. The small children stopped what they were doing and look at the princess.

"Tale, this is Kyōuraku Shunsui and Ukitake Juushirō. Juu-kun, Shunsui, this is my lovely friend Tale." Her blush darkened and she gave a bow.

"A pleasure to meet you both, Ukitake-taichou, Kyōuraku-taichou." Shunsui chuckled. Juushirō gave another sheepish look.

"Please, Tale-san, don't bow. We're not even officially captains yet." Tale stood back up straight, her blush creeping down to her neck. Luckily, her skin was too dark for them to see it unless they looked closely.

"Juu-nii," one of the little girls tugged at her brother's haori. He looked down and scooped her up into his arms.

"Yes, Tomi-chan?"

"She's pretty! You should marry her." She had obviously meant to whisper it, but her words came out much louder than needed. This time Juushiro blushed deeply too, and one could see Tale's blush also.

"Yea, Juu. You'd both make a pretty couple, kawaiikun." Shunsui gave a wide grin, Jinsu smirked, and Asa laughed. The two they were talking about only continued to blush and try to get rid of it. Tale fiddled with the sleeve of her yukata. Juushiro whispered something into his little sister's ear and put her down as she grabbed her other sisters' hands and pulled them away.

"I'm sorry about her. She blurts things like that out all the time." Tale shook her head at the apology.

"Don't worry about it, she's young. Let her have her fun."

Jinsu handed the small child back to Shunsui who passed him off to one of the older boys still standing beside their brother. "Come on, Tamaki, let's go find okaa-san." The boys walked off, leaving the group alone. Shunsui spoke his thoughts.

"Tale-chan, I was wondering something." Tale tilted her head, motioning for him to continue. "You look awfully a lot like a young man I know that is friends with my brother. Do you by chance have a younger brother by the name of Ryuunosuke?" Tale nodded. How was it possible that he knew her younger brother? The only people who knew her family personally were... nobles.

Of course! How could she have forgotten? The Kyōuraku family had always been close friends to the Shihōuin house.

"I've always known a little hime when I see one... Okitetsu-hime." Shunsui gave a small bow before Tale could stop him. Juushirō looked about to do the same thing.

"No, please! Don't bow, I highly dislike when people do such a thing when I am merely just a student. I should be bowing to you, you are my superiors." There was a slightly silence between them.

"Well, it looks like we best be taking our leave. Tomorrow, we start our new lives as shinigami!" Asa said proudly, pumping her fist into the air. Jinsu nodded in agreement. "And it looks like it's time for Tale to go to the dungeon, Jin-chan." Tale rolled her eyes and slipped out from under Asa's arm to find Maiko patiently waiting for her at the entrance gate.

"You two have to promise me that you'll come and visit me during the year." Jinsu and Asa nodded, hugging their friend one last time. Tale gave the two captains a smile and a small bow. "It was a great pleasure meeting you both. I hope we'll become friends once I graduate." Tale turned to leave, only to hear a low whistle from behind her.

"Yes, I do hope we become friends..." But that was soon followed by another smack and an "ow". "Asa-chan, you're so mean to me!"

"Well then stop being such a pervert!"

**-starlightstarbright-**

"And now, I would like to proudly present Shinō Academy's fifty-second graduating class!"

Tale stood amongst the forty or so shinigami that were once her classmates. Many had made it as seated officers, others still trying to figure out which division they wanted to join. Tale was one of those. She may have been offered a few positions, one of them a fourth seat, but she wasn't particularly interested in the Division. She wanted somewhere where she could have fun while working, although she didn't want to be placed with Hanaru or Asa and Jinsu. She was surprised of being offered anything at all even though she didn't know shikai. Sure, she knew her zanpakutou's name, but that was it.

Suddenly, there was an echoing snap. Everyone looked around for it, but all Tale had to do was look at center stage. There a very aware sontaichou stood, waiting. A bucket of water splashed down on him, much like it had just two years ago from this day. Some things never change...

Once the shinigami were allowed to leave the stage, Tale jumped down, landing gracefully on the balls of her feet. She was instantly attacked by a pair of arms.

"Look how much she's grown up, Jin!"

"It's amazing what two more years of training do to a person."

Tale blinked and looked down at the two. She was now _taller,_ by a good five inches, than Jinsu and Asa. She had changed? Look at them! Jinsu had cut her hair into somewhat of a pixie cut and Asa's was half way down her back! Not to mention the obvious muscles on their biceps that she felt hug her. Tale hugged her two friends back.

"I haven't seen you two since last year during the holidays! How are things going for you both? Any promotions?" Jinsu and Asa finally let go of the hime, both practically glowing with excitement.

"Well... Asa's cold heart has finally warmed up to a certain Fifth Division lieutenant..." Asa hugged Jinsu in the ribs and a light flush overtook her cheeks. Tale laughed. "...and she got promoted, finally, to fourth seat."

"Like you have anywhere to talk, Miss Twelfth Division's new fukutaichou..." Tale squealed with happiness and gave Jinsu another tight hug. "What about you, Tale-chan? Have you picked what squad you'll be entering?" Said noble chewed at the inside of her cheek.

"Well... I've gotten a few offers, but I really can't decide."

"Why not come to the Seventh Division with me? Sato-taichou would love you!"

"Or the Twelfth. I've told everyone about you, and they're very interested in a noble with your story-telling skills. Mostly the girls, but I've had a few guys ask about your action stories." Jinsu gave Tale a small wink. She could only smile.

As the three walked away, back to the dorms to get Tale's bag, said hime bumped into a student. He immediately bowed, shaking with a slight look of fear etched on his face.

"I deeply apologize for disturbing your peace, fukutaichou-san and shinigami-san! Please forgive my rudeness." The three blinked, surprised. Tale scratched the back of her neck.

"Eh, there's no trouble here. It's okay, really, everyone does it once and awhile." Jinsu shrugged as she spoke. Asa rolled her eyes with a scoff. Typical first years. Tale tilted her head at the student.

"What's your name, ichisenkan-kun?" The student stood up straight, his chin high. He was shorter than most first years. Asa was surprised they even saw him.

"Zenai, Miyazaki Zenai!" Asa chuckled. Tale's mind began to wonder.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Zenai-kun. I am Shihōuin Okitetsu, but you can call me Tale."

**Author's Note:**

So… another chapter it seems. /grin. Tale meets Juu… and Zenai! If you haven't read Supernova before then you don't know why this is important, but don't go read it! That story is horrible…

I really don't know what to say now… Although I wonder who this Fifth Division's lieutenant that Jinsu speaks of, is… /wink.

_Sugoi – amazing, wow, etc._

_Nii- "brother"_

_Kawaiikun – "pretty boy"_

_Ichisenkan – "first year"_

_If there were anymore that I didn't catch just tell me, or you can look them up yourself. Whichever is fine. :)_

Review please?


	5. Chapter Four

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R F O U R**

_Flirting is the art of making a man feel pleased with himself._

Tale walked with a bag slung over her right shoulder. Beside her were Jinsu and Asa. Today would be the first day of Tale as a shinigami. In just a few minutes she would meet her captain and follow Division. But the question was...

"What Division do you decide on, Tale-san?" Jinsu asked, readjusting her lieutenants' badge on her left bicep. Asa continued to pick at her nails, but was obviously paying some attention so she could hear the answer. Tale smiled.

"The Eighth Division, I sent in my papers last night, so they should have them by the time I get there." The trio was only half way to the division, with still a ways to go. The two friends both stopped walking, Tale staking a few steps before stopping also and turning around to look at them. Asa and Jinsu were giving each other a look like they knew something that she didn't. Tale tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"

They kept quiet for a few moments. "Do you think we should tell her, Jin?" Tale just continued to stand there, confused as ever, and switched her bag from her right shoulder to her left, it bounced against her hip causing her zanpakutou to momentarily dig into her hip. Tale muttered a small complaint of pain and rubbed at the spot. Jinsu seemed hesitate.

"Let's just let her find out for herself..." Tale's brow furrowed in slight frustration. Why wouldn't they tell what was wrong?

"What? Is the captain some kind of merciless bastard?" Jinsu's eyebrow twitched, but Tale didn't notice. Asa shook her head, a knowing grin spreading over her lips.

"Nah, he's not that bad. But I can't say the same for his lieutenant... She's a very strict person. Loyal to her squad, but tends to give 'follow it by the book' the title of understatement of the century." Asa started walking again, placing her arms behind her head. Jinsu rolled her eyes, as if to say 'very mature', and followed her friend. "Did I mention you know him?"

Tale's brow furrowed even more. She was missing something, she was missing something big and she knew it. The only people she knew that were in the Seireitei were her classmates, Jinsu and Asa. Had she forgotten of someone? That would be bad, then, for she would look like a fool once the man saw her. He couldn't have forgotten her. Maybe once she saw him she would remember?

"Here we are, the Eighth Division." Tale looked up, surprised that she had arrived so quickly. Weren't they farther away just a few minutes ago? Oh well, there was no telling, she was already here so she might as well go ahead and get it over with. Asa pushed open the door, Jinsu followed behind her, and then Tale brought up the back. There were a few shinigami walking around, waiting for any missions or farther instructions from their superiors. Some were sparring in the courtyard, but stopped once the gate opened. Tale instantly knew she was going to like some of these people.

"Asa!" Almost all of them yelled, although a few did mention Jinsu with a bow or a nod. Asa grinned. Tale knew she was going to become a heavyweight with all these men around and Asa's little flaw of loving sake. Jinsu rolled her eyes and pulled Tale through the crowd.

"Asa is going to take awhile with all of those. She knew most of them would love to take her out..." Jinsu grumbled the last part under her breath. The hime raised a brow, was she jealous? "So I'll just take you to your captain and Kazūme-san's office." Tale was pulled corner after corner. Deep down, she was very excited, no matter how nervous she looked.

**-starlightstarbright-**

Shiba Kazūme was quick on her toes as she went back and forth, office to office, with a tray of tea cups and a kettle balanced nicely on top. She could hear the loud snores of her captain coming from his office. He had obviously fallen asleep, again, this morning while doing paperwork and signing reports from those that had gone on missions to the Human World. Balanced in her other hand was a stack of more papers that had just arrived.

"Kyouraku-taichou, please wake up!" Kazūme shouted as she dropped the papers beside her captain's head. The man groaned, his nice doze being interrupted. Shunsui lifted his head, a lopsided grin on his face.

"I dozed off again? My, my, it must be lunch time by now." Kazūme glared at her captain and placed the tray of tea on top of a stack of papers that littered his desk. She couldn't even see a sliver of the wooden desk... Shunsui's grin faltered. "It's still morning, isn't it." It wasn't question. Kazūme smoothed out her Shihakushou.

"No, captain, I'm afraid not." She replied with a very commanding voice, obviously not happy with her captain of two years. Shunsui sighed, a lopsided grin back on his lips, and took one of the hot cups of tea. "Also, I must inform you that we are having a new recruit from the academy coming today. Shunsui raised a brow, sipping at his tea.

"Oh? Is that so?" He leaned back in his chair, his grin widening. "Do tell me about this new recruit." Kazūme rolled her eyes and took a file off the top of Shunsui's desk. He had been sleeping on it the whole time. The lieutenant flipped it open.

"Shihouin Okitetsu, hime and heir to the Tenshiheisōban, graduated from the academy in her sixth and final year with high marks in Hohō and Zanjetsu. Her zanpakutou's name is not recorded and she is exceptionally well in kidō." Kazūme flipped a page. "Shihouin-hime has been offered spots in other divisions, such as the fourth seat of the Tenth Division and sixth seat of the Twelfth Division." Kazūme flipped a few more pages before shutting the folder completely, "And then it goes on to telling her discipline record at the academy, a clean record other than being tardy for class in the morning, and teacher recommendations." She dropped the file back into the spot in front of her captain.

Shunsui leaned against the palm of his head and opened the file himself, this time. On the front was her latest picture taken at the academy and one snapped of her zanpakutou. The light colored hilt was a bit of a surprise. Most tsukaito were either dark or in the medium for color range. _Interesting… _Although the hime did look awfully familiar, and Shunsui never forgot a pretty face, especially one like that...

A knock on the door at their office's sliding door alerted Kazūme. She hurried over to answer it. "Oh, Hiworti-fukutaichou, what a surprise to see you. How may I help you?" Shunsui looked up and grinned. If Jinsu was here that meant Asa wasn't far behind - Asa was such a good drinking buddy. Even though those two were from separate divisions and had two completely different jobs, they were never apart, it seemed.

"Good morning, Shiba-san. I'm just here to drop off my friend, Tale. She's your newest member." Shunsui couldn't see anything but a head of deep purple hair and tan skin. Kazūme was being so mean to her captain, not letting him see the little hime... Well, she wasn't 'little', instead very tall since he could see her over his Kazūme-chan.

The Eighth Division's lieutenant turned her eyes to the tall shinigami behind Jinsu. 'Tale', as Jinsu had called her (most likely just a nickname), stood almost as tall as her captain and his closest friend, Ukitake-taichou.

Shunsui was quick on his toes, and a quick step of shunpo later, he was standing behind his lieutenant with a wide grin. Kazūme was startled a little, but only showed it for a moment before standing tall again like nothing happened. She farther slid open the door to let both Jinsu and Tale in. Jinsu gave a small bow to the taichou, knowing his ways, and turned to her friend. Of course, Jinsu didn't see her anywhere went she looked down. Tale had bowed. Had she forgotten over the past two years who this man was?

"I will be a great honor working under you, Shiba-fukutaichou, and taichou!" Jinsu shook her head lightly and flicker Tale in the shoulder blade. Tale popped back up, muttered an "ow" as she tried to rub at the spot and finally faced her superiors.

Kazūme look quite happy, finally not being one of the only women on the squad, and also glad that _someone_ knew manners. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Shihouin-san. I hope we can see many great things from you here in the Eighth Division." Shunsui stepped away from Kazūme and then in front of her, getting a good look at the fourth year he had been introduced during his early first hour of being a captain. She hadn't changed much other than the extra inches that now made her taller than Jinsu, when she had barely come to the lieutenant's elbow during her second year.

"Hello, Tale-hime~ how have the last two years been without me?" Shunsui asked, trying to see if this was the girl that would finally be putty in his hand. He tried his charm. She didn't seem very fazed by it.

Tale tilted her head, trying to figure out where she had seen him before. He obviously knew her, but she didn't remember him. "I'm sorry, taichou, but I don't seem to remember us ever meeting." Shunsui's grin faltered before widening even larger than before. Since Asa wasn't around to stop him, and Jinsu was now busy chattering away with his lieutenant, this gave Shunsui the perfect time to flirt! This was his chance!

"Well, that just breaks my heart into pieces!" He was joking, flirting as it was, but Tale didn't seem to be falling for it. Tale gave another bow, but this one not as low as the first.

"I'm so sorry, taichou! Please, forgive me for my ignorance in forgetting of you!" Shunsui blinked. This girl really knew how to make someone feel superior, and she was a hime, no less! Shunsui chuckled.

"Please Tale-chan; don't be so formal with me. I'm perfectly fine with you calling my Shunsui." Tale stood back up straight, a gasp coming from her opened dusty-rose lips.

"But that would be improper for someone of my status! I would only do that if I were of the same rank." Shunsui continued to chuckle at Tale's words. She really _did_ go by the book. Such an innocent little mind that had yet to be corrupted, fully, by Asa.

"I would think being a beautiful hime, like you, is enough of being of the same status."

Tale bit her lip, both at him catching her with that fact, and the fact that he called her "beautiful". No one had called her that before... although she had been asked to be courted by many men, so that must mean something, right?

"Kyouraku-taichou! Stop antagonizing the poor girl!" Kazūme smacked her captain on the top of his head with the end of the sheath of her zanpakutou. The male cringed, having yet another bruise adore his head the third time this week - and it was only Tuesday!

"Zuzu-chan is so mean to me~" Shunsui whined, rubbing at the growing bump. Kazūme rolled her eyes and popped him on the head again, in the same spot.

"Taichou, either you may show Shihouin-san around the Division, or I will do so myself - _without_ you." Shunsui didn't have much a choice before Kazūme had pulled the new shinigami out of the office and away. Shunsui sighed, a sudden thought coming to his head. "My sneaky little Zuzu-chan... leaving me with all the paperwork..."

**-thefirststariseetonight-**

"And this is your room, Shihouin-san." Kazūme slid open a door, showing an empty room for other than a desk, futon, and small opened closet. Tale nodded and stepped inside looking around. She would have to customize it to fit her style. She wouldn't be able to stand all the plain white. "You will stay here until we arrange for your position on the squad. We have a few positions open, fifth seat and tenth seat, due to some accidents in the human world dealing with hollows." The thought of a hollow made Tale cringe, quite noticeably too.

Ever since the first time she was allowed to go to the human world and fight off a few hollows as practice, she would never look at them the same. One of her classmates had been attacked and not able to continue with the rest of their fourth year, or anymore of the academy for that matter.

There had been blood... so much blood...

"Are you alright, Shihouin-san?" Tale snapped from her thoughts and turned around, almost instinctively reaching for the hilt of her zanpakutou with her left hand. Kazūme's eyes flashed down just to see as she did, but Tale stopped before she touched the pale yellow wrapped fabric. "I never fully introduced myself. I am Shiba Kazūme. The lazy oaf you met back there, as you met him right after a nap, is our taichou, Kyouraku Shunsui."

That's when the light bulb went off in her head. She remembered the surname Kyouraku.

"Tomorrow morning we will start with seeing how well your abilities are, and then we will move onto placing you into a seat sometime in the afternoon. For right now, just settle in and meet some of the other division members. I'm quite sure they are excited to have another member. Not many shinigami come to the eighth squad willingly." Tale nodded and sat her bag down on the desk. She took another look around the room.

"Also, Shihouin-san?" Tale turned around, yet again, and nodded for Kazūme to continue. "Do you know your shikai?"

Kazūme was almost sure that Tale would say yes, after skimming her file, but after the bit of hesitant look on her face and the slow nod of her head, Kazūme knew she didn't. Tale was actually lying to her lieutenant, and Kazūme knew it. Tale knew she knew it. "Alright, I was just wondering. We have to update the file then."

When Kazūme left, Tale bit her lip. Oh she hoped her zanpakutou would cooperate with her, if only just a little. Tale didn't know now what her shikai even _looked_ like.

**Author's Note:**

Okay… I know there are some mistakes, I can feel them, but I don't feel like fixing anything tonight seeing as it is 2:30 am and I have to get up early. Enjoy!

I don't think there are any words that need definitions… if there are, you have Google. /grin.

Review please? It would really make my week, and my week has been pretty sucky.

Also, before you freak out and go "Hey! It's a Shiba! Must Be Kaien's mom," no, it's not. It's his aunt by marriage. /bigger grin.

Oh, and we get to see Tale's powers and abilities next chapter! Oh I wonder what I'm going to do… yes, even I don't know what I'm going to do. /shot.


	6. Chapter Five

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R F I V E**

_As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in school._

Tale had tried her best to get as much sleep as she could in her new, temporary room; of course it didn't work. She had spent most of her time meditating - trying to get her zanpakutou to tell her, her shikai. They even played hanafuda a few times. Tale lost all but once, and it was only because she had cheated.

The sun had risen, leaving Tale with a problem. She didn't know her shikai; even after threatening her own kodachi's spirit there was no giving in! Tale sighed. 'Might as well get what sleep she could,' Tale thought to herself and laid back on her futon. Before she knew it, Tale was asleep... and then being awoken by a sharp rasp at her door.

Tale held in a groan and stood up, rolling her neck to get the knot out of it. She walked over and slid the door open. There stood Kazūme, patiently waiting.

"Good morning, Shihouin-san. Did you sleep well last night?" If the dark bags under Tale's eyes weren't enough, then she didn't know what was. The new shinigami inclined her head with a lazy nod.

"Good, if you will then come with me. Kyouraku-taichou and I would like to begin your testing." Tale nodding, begging her conscience not to show how nervous she was. Tale grabbed her zanpakutou off her futon, closed the door behind her, and followed the lieutenant.

The walk was silent. Tale mentally prayed to her ancestors for help - she was going to need a lot of it. Kazūme was in her own thoughts, wondering what the new recruit was going to do. She had obviously lied about knowing her shikai.

"This way," Kazūme had stopped to open a door, waiting for Tale to enter. She nodded, walked through the door and into the Eighth Division's training room. "Here you will have four tests. Kido, Hohō, Hakuda and Zanjetsu - much like that at the academy." Tale stayed silent, just giving another nod.

Shunsui was already waiting, a few seated officers also with him. Tale swallowed, all of them were men. She had never fought against a man before, only Hanaru or any of the other females in her class. The sensei had never allowed a male versus female fight.

Tale muttered another silent prayer.

"_They cannot help you, Okitetsu-sama. All you have is me,"_ the voice in the back of Tale's mind said. Tale gave a slight growl, answering back.

'Yeah, and you're pretty useless too.' Tale unnoticeably thumped the hilt of her zanpakutou, smirking at the echoing "ow".

"Good morning, Tale-chan~! How are you?" Tale returned her Captain's smile. That was the only emotion of happiness that she had shown all morning.

"I'm fine, Kyouraku-taichou. How are you?" She may not have to put up a facade in front of her lieutenant, but her captain was a must.

"I'm wonderful, now that you are here, Tale-hime~." Tale blushed slightly at the compliment, but shrugged it off once Kazūme gave him a smack on top of her head with a stack of files.

"Please, taichou, refrain from flustering up the girl." Kazūme stated in her "authority" voice. Shunsui only chuckled and rubbed at the invisible bump.

"Of course, Zuzu-chan."

_"'Zuzu-chan?'"_ the voice repeated in Tale's head, only to be followed by a laugh. Tale rolled her eyes and thumped the hilt again.

"Now, Shihouin-san, shall we begin?" Tale nodded, even though she was far from it. "We shall start with your ability in shunpo, is that alright?" Tale nodded once again, but disappeared from her spot. The space was now occupied by Shunsui. He chuckled, clearly amused.

"It seems I have found someone to play tag with now." Tale had now appeared on the other side of the training arena. Tale gave a small smug smirk. She had always been good with speed. Her figure disappeared again, only a flash of Shunsui was seen in her spot before he too disappeared.

Kazūme marked down things in the file she had in her hands. The other seated officers watched with awe, trying to figure out where the two would go next - or where they even were, all they could see were blurs and purple, black, and white. Tale was finally caught. This time, she went after Kyouraku with an evident playful look on her face.

After another twenty minutes of the two going back and forth, Kazūme finally called a halt to the game. Shunsui whined, finding fun in the game of "tag". Tale only laughed at her captain.

"Don't worry, Kyouraku-taichou. We can finish playing some other time." Shunsui chuckled at the hime and sent her a teasing wink.

"I'll be waiting until then." Another blush burnt at Tale's cheeks. Kazūme cleared her throat and walked up to Tale.

"Next we will test your ability in Kido." Tale nodded, trying to catch her breath without anyone noticing. It had been awhile since she had to go that fast. "Will you please perform a Bakudō, Sai."

Tale didn't ask who to do the spell on, she just picked on the seated officers that were standing nearby and not paying any attention to her. She held up her right hand, pointer and middle finger straight our while the others were curled into a semi-fist.

"Bakudō no chi!" She then swiped her hand to the right. "Sai!"

The inattentive officer was instantly put to the ground, his ankles and arms invisibly tied together.

Off to the side, Shunsui chuckled loudly. "My, my, Tale-hime, already trying to fight for the fourth seat?" Tale's eyes widened, quickly, she released the spell.

"Gomen-nasai, yonshi-to-san!" Tale bowed at her waist, to the annoyed looking man. The other seated officers snickered at the man's embarrassment of being bound by an unseated shinigami.

"I beat you wouldn't mind her doing that in your bed, eh, Keiichi?" The fourth seat barred his teeth and went to smack his subordinate. Kazūme cleared her throat, again; Tale tried her best to hide the blush on her cheeks... again.

"Thank you for being a volunteer, Kozawa-san." The officers stopped their teasing and watched Tale again. "Now, Shihouin-san, will you please demonstrate the highest Bakudō you can perform?"

Tale nodded, but had a thoughtful look on her face. What was the highest Bakudō she could do correctly? And she didn't want to hurt anyone...

"I'll be your volunteer this time, Tale-hime." Tale was pulled from her thoughts by her captain. She started to protest but was stopped. "Don't, I want to see what you can do. So, hit me with your best shot." He grinned.

The new shinigami bit her lip. If he wanted her best then... Tale took a deep breath, let it out, and started the incantation.

"Carriages of Thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six!" Tale held up her two right hand fingers again. "Bakudō no rokuichi, Rikujōkōrō!"

Kazūme stood, stunned at the high level kidō. No one of Tale's level should know anything that high, let alone do it correctly. Kazūme could barely even do a level thirty, Shitotsu Sansen, when she was at Tale's level!

Shunsui chuckled, slightly impressed, but also a tad bit worried since he couldn't get out of the binding. Tale was quick to release the spell. The captain bowed his head in thought.

"I'm going to take a guess here and say either Asa-chan or Jinsu-chan taught you that one." Tale nodded a slightly sheepish look on her face. Shunsui chuckled again. Of course one of them would cheat and teach her high leveled kidō. Kazūme muttered something under her breath and noted the events in the file. Shunsui walked back over to his spot beside his lieutenant. Tale fiddled with the sleeve of her uniform.

Another few moments later, Kazūme spoke again: "Shihouin-san, could you please demonstrate a Hado, Byakurai?"

Tale tensed up slightly. She could do Bakudō - mostly any level - but when it came to Hado... Tale hoped they were ready to have a new wall. A small target appeared on the opposite side of the training room. Obviously, she was it hit it. Tale took a deep breath, lifted up her left hand this time, pointer finger out. No one could hear as she muttered the incantation.

"Hado no yon, Byakurai!" An orb of sparking electricity grew from her finger tip before being released as a bolt of bright blue lightning. It didn't hit the target. Tale instantly cursed her luck with Hado type Kido.

She had never been good at the lower level Hado; it takes too much control, only the higher level. It needs more reiatsu and less control since you have a much stronger spell. Jinsu and Asa had gotten her used to high level spells before low level ones.

Kazūme simply raised brow at the new hole in the wall and jotted something down in the file.

"That will be all, Shihouin-san, please-"

"Wait, Kazūme-chan." Kazūme was surprised at her captain. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted again. "Knowing, Jinsu and Asa, they didn't teach you _just_ high level Bakudō, did they?" Tale chewed at the inside of her cheek; she shook her head. "Well, then, show us what you can do." Shunsui had his signature grin tugging at his lips.

A ghost of a smile tugged at Tale's own lips.

"Of course, taichou!" She bowed to him and turned back to the target. Tale slid her zanpakutou from its sheath. She held it in front of her and let go - the kodachi floated in mid hair before her head hit against the hilt and it began to spin. Another muttered of words left her mouth.

"Hado no gojuuhachi." Tale grabbed the zanpakutou's hilt, stopping the spin. "Tenran!" a large cyclone of air shot out and hit, not only the target, but a large area of the wall too.

The Eighth Division was going to need a new wall soon.

Shunsui chuckled and nodded his head in improvement. Kazūme's mouth hung open, her eyes blinking - trying to take in what she just saw. How could a mere graduate... Asa and Jinsu, of course.

"That's enough for right now, Tale-chan. Take a lunch break and be back here in an hour." Shunsui said and went to talk with his lieutenant. The seat officers chatted to themselves. Kazūme stood stock still. The file was limply hanging at her side.

Tal sheathed her zanpakutou and bowed to the group before running out of the room and into the hallways of the Eighth Division. Soon, she found herself in the courtyard. There she found Asa being badgered by a group of men trying to get a date out of her. (Why did Asa have to be one of the most wanted women of the Seireitei?)

"Sorry fellows, but I'm going to have to steal Asa-san!" Tale grabbed Asa's arm and pulled her out of the Division's gate. The fair-haired third seat blinked when she noticed how fast she had gone from a bench in the Eighth Division to the middle of the Seireitei - the marketplace.

"Uh, Tale?" she asked, noticing the nervous demeanor of her friend. "Something bad happened in there, didn't it?" Tale only shrugged and took the yakitori she had ordered from a food stand. Asa gave her a look. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"You could count it as good or bad, Asa," Tale said as she took a bite of the barbecued chicken on a stick. Asa rolled her eyes and took the food from her friend. Tale went to grab it back.

"Well then, tell me about it." Asa took a large bite of the food.

Tale sighed and sat down on a bench. Asa followed her. As the third eat munched on her stolen food, Tale described the events that had taken place; from her whole night up to the now destroyed wall. Asa would nod in some places, showing she was listening, and let out a laugh at the part where the fourth seat had been Tale's vic- ahem, 'volunteer'.

Once she was done with explaining her problem, Tale sat back in silence, trying to decide how to get her food back.

Asa finished off the yakitori before Tale could even start her plan. Tale pouted, crossing her arms under her chest and listened to her stomach growl. Neither of the girls noticed the looks they were getting from some of the men. Asa tapped her shin, as if in thought.

"Well, the good thing is you know high-leveled kidō, but you'll be using mostly low leveled things during missions to the real world." Tale sighed at that. This was hopeless. "And about the part with Hoshi-chan-"

"Wait, 'Hoshi-chan'?" Tale raised a brow in question. Asa rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Hoshi-chan, now may I continue?"

"_I like it._" echoed thought Tale's mind. Tale told 'Hoshi-chan' to be quiet so she could focus on listening to Asa.

"As I was saying. That's a little bad -" Tale gave her a look. "- okay, really bad that you said you knew your shikai but don't, and it only adds to it that you're about to sixth and fifth seats -"

"But I'm starting with a ninth seat and - " Asa held up her hand.

"That doesn't matter. Everyone in a twentieth seat and must know their shikai. They only have the higher seats because those are the shinigami who can control things better. I.E. kidō, zanjutsu, and shunpo. If you have high reiatsu then that helps too."

"But I have a regular amount of reiatsu. I'm alright at kidō, shunpo is more my forte, and I don't even have shikai! I'm better with my fists and I barely have any hand-eye coordination!"

Asa had a thoughtful look on her face for a moments before saying and sitting back. "Why do they even want to test you? You obviously aren't very special, or stand out any from their current seated officers."

"It's because she's of a Noble House." Both looked up to find Jinsu standing a few feet away. The lieutenant smiled. "Have you bribed Hoshi-chan?" Tale sat back with a huff.

"Now you're calling the traitor that..."

_"I take offense to that!"_

Tale rolled her eyes and answered Jinsu's question. "That was my Plan B, if winning against her in hanafuda didn't work." Jinsu gave a small smile and sat in between the two, sitting her bag of food at her feet. Asa leaned against her.

Tale slid her zanpakutou from her obi. She sat her horizontal in her lap. Her eyes scanned across every detail; from the pale yellow hilt to the star-shaped hilt guard, to the charcoal black sheath.

_"It's not nice to stare."_ Tale flicked a finger against the hilt for the third time this morning.

'It's not nice to deny a shinigami what is hers.'

_"I am denying you nothing, Okitetsu-sama. I am merely holding it back until you are ready."_

'And when shall I be ready?'

There was a light giggle from the voice before the presence disappeared into the corner of her mind. Tale growled in annoyance and flicked the hilt, again.

Asa watched as Tale argued with herself.

"What time are you supposed to be back for the rest of the test?" Jinsu asked. Tale merely shrugged her shoulders.

"They gave me an hour to eat, but Asa stole my food..." Tale turned to glare at her friend - her stomach gurgled.

"Uh..." Tale gave a questioning look to Asa and then turned her gaze to where Asa was pointing; a clock on the side of a food stand. She had five minutes, from what she could tell, to get back to the Division. They were a fifteen minute walk away. Time really does fly when you're worrying, doesn't it?

"Shit!" Tale jumped up and slid her zanpakutou into her obi. "Sorry, but I gotta go!" She waved and disappeared in a flash.

Asa turned to Jinsu. "You wanna go watch her get her ass beat?"

"Sure."

The two shinigami disappeared after her.

**Author's Note:**

Alright so… this chapter actually turned out longer than I thought it would, so I had to break it into two parts. (I hand wrote this chapter because I couldn't get myself to type it, and it ended up being over 30 pages if I kept on doing, but I stopped and started to type it up.) So, the next part will actually be up pretty soon once I get myself to type that part up too.

I suck at action scenes, so if the next chapter sucks, then that's why. Oh, and don't fret about Juushiro, he shall be in next chapter! /wink.

And about the whole "Hoshi" thing, you'll learn that next chapter, also, when you all finally learn the zanpakutou's name. /winkwink. And yes, it does have to do with a "star".

_Hanafuda – a Japanese card game (you see Shun and Juu playing it with Koten in the Sword Fiend anime arc)_

_Bakudō no chi, Sai – Way of Binding, number one, Restrain_

_Gomen-nasai – formal way of saying "I'm sorry"_

_Yonshi-to-san – fourth seat_

_Bakudō no rokuichi, Rikujōkōrō – Way of Binding, number sixty one, Six Rods Prison Light_

_Shitotsu Sansen – Beak-Piercing Triple Beam, type of Bakudō_

_Hado no yon, Byakurai – Way of Destruction, number four, Pale Lightning_

_Hado no gojuuhachi, Tenran – Way of Destruction, number fifty eight, Orchid Sky_

_Yakitori – barbecued chicken on a stick_

_Hoshi - star _

**Review please?**


	7. Chapter Six

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R S I X**

_Men like war: they do not hold much sway over birth, so they make up for it with death. Unlike women, men menstruate by shedding other people's blood._

Tale arrived just as her captain and lieutenant did. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath. It had been a long time since she ever had to go _that_ fast. Jinsu and Asa showed up behind the seated officers. Asa tried to keep her presence hidden so that they wouldn't try and flirt with her. Tale noticed them easily, though. Another prayer to the ancestors for some type of help.

The group gathered into the training room. Tale noticed that the large hole once in the wall was no longer there. They work fast.

"Shihouin-san," Tale looked over at Kazūme. The lieutenant had her hand out, motioning for the middle of the training arena. There stood a lean man with dark hair, pulling on a pair of black gloves. "You will be fighting our ninth seat, Wasiba Kouta, using hand to hand combat."

Tale gave a thankful sigh of relief and pulled her zanpakutou from her obi, trading it for the bandages to wrap around her fists. As she walked out to him, she wrapped the bindings over her knuckles - not too loose, not too tight.

Once in the middle, Tale bowed to the man - he did the same. They bumped knuckles together. A whistle blew from the sidelines, most likely Kazūme, and the fight began.

Kouta and Tale watched the other, looking for any flaws in the other's stance. Tale was putting most of her weight on the balls of her feet, Kouta mostly on his heels.

"Ladies first," Kouta said, still looking for some kind of opening.

"Then go ahead and throw something at me," Tale's response was. She could hear a little chuckle from her captain and Asa. Kouta only growled and swung with his right.

Tale stopped it with her own right hand. Kouta furrowed his brow and punched with his left - Tale grabbed his other fist with her own left. He looked at her, trying to figure out her next move. The hime grinned and head-butted him (ignoring the sharp ache that overcame her senses) - this gave her a few seconds of him not being able to react.

She brought her left knee up, digging it into his lower torso - that gave her another few more seconds. Next Tale spun around; uncrossing their arms and put all her strength (and little help with reiatsu) she was able to throw him over her shoulders and onto the ground. Kouta let out a yelp of pain, but was able to pull Tale down with him.

The two wrestles, trying to hit the other with everything they had. Kouta had a scratch on his cheek from where she had used her nails, while Tale was sporting bruise on her side and cheek. She wasn't giving up. Neither was he.

As Tale struggled to get off her back, Kouta kept blocking her blows and pinning her arms down. "Such a feisty one. I wouldn't mind you in my bed," Kouta gave a wide, suggestive grin. Tale blushed, but she still wasn't happy with the meaning behind his words.

"Sorry, you're not my type!" Tale used her elbow to hit his jaw and with that three second-shock, she was able to get him on his back. She gave him a hard hit to the nose. (Was that a crack she heard?) Kouta reached up to nurse the bleeding appendage, but was stopped once again and slipped on his stomach.

Both his arms were pulled behind him, her foot on the back of his neck.

"Pin!" Kazūme yelled from the sidelines, and Tale let go. She wiped the sweat from her face with her sleeve and held out her hand to help Kouta up. He only scuffed at her and pushed it away, getting up on his own - she could barely keep back the snort from seeing all the blood coming from his now-oddly shaped nose.

"You're good," he said quietly to Tale and walked over to his fellow officers.

"Alright, Shihouin-san, next you will be doing the same with our eighth seat, Takuma Katsuro." This shinigami was a bit more muscular than Kouta, but she had more faith in her fists. Plus the rush of adrenaline was helping her with her hand-eye coordination

They bowed to one another, bumped fists, and this time Tale was the first to attack when the whistle blew. Katsuro blocked it and tried to hit her back; Tale blocked with her forearm, but she was still pushed back some. Katsuro threw another hit. This one made a connection on her upper ribs. Tale coughed, trying to catch her breath.

Katsuro grinned; about to throw his last hit before tale disappeared. He had only blinked. A kick to the back threw him off his feet and onto the ground. Tale grabbed at his arm, twisted it, and straddled his back, backwards.

"Pin!" Tale let go. That one had gone a bit quicker than she thought it would. He mainly relied on his strength, not speed - and he had obviously forgotten how fast she was.

Katsuro gave an angered huff and stood from the ground, brushing off the dirt. Asa and Jinsu cheered for her on the sidelines. Adrenaline continued to pump through her veins.

"Go Tale! Beat these bums' asses!" Asa shouted, laughing at the unamused looks on the officers' faces. Shunsui was the only one amused (other than Jinsu). Kazūme looked frustrated.

"Next, you will be using your zanpakutou against out seventh seat, Fudano Nei."

Tale wanted to just give up right there. She would definitely loose, unless she used kidō (which she most likely couldn't).

_"Giving up already, Okitetsu-sama? I thought I knew you better_..." She was mocking Tale, and Take knew it.

The new shinigami took her zanpakutou from Jinsu, hearing her whispered a "good luck", and nodded. She was going to need it. Tale stood in the middle of the arena, sliding her zanpakutou into the opening of her obi. As Nei unsheathed his own katana, Tale did the same with her kodachi. The ringing of metal echoed. There was a tense silence before Kazūme said, "Begin."

Tale blocked Nei's blade. Every hit he tried to land, she blocked (or tried). Nei did get a few slash slashes at her. The cuts in her Shihakushou were enough evidence of that. Nei was growing frustrated.

"What's your problem, Shihouin? Release your shikai already!"

'Like he had anywhere to talk,' she thought. 'Come on, Hoshi! Just help me out this once!' There was no answer to Tale's pleas. She sighed, but was distracted long enough that Nei was able to land a blow down on her. The blade slashed at her left shoulder. Tale gave a cry of pain and was knocked back a few feet as she grabbed at the wound. Her zanpakutou hung limply in her hand.

"Float, Enputi-shian!" Tale held up her zanpakutou to try and block the hit, catch herself when a stream of pain ran up her arm. The meteor hammer ball wrapped around her kodachi and it was pulled from her nonexistent grip.

Tale was left weaponless; all she had was her kidō and her speed... Of course! Her speed!

"Any last words, Shihouin?" Nei walked closer to her, swinging one end of his released zanpakutou in a circle, trying to make her afraid and forfeit. It wasn't working now that she had a plan. Tale tried to hide her grin, still gripping at the flesh wound on her shoulder, and slid her left foot back slightly.

"Yeah. Watch your back." She disappeared, her kodachi doing the same, before soon she reappeared - this time behind Nei with the sword (now in her bloody right hand) resting against the front of his neck.

"Any last words, Fudano?" Nei dropped his zanpakutou, it going back into its sealed form. "That's what I thought." Tale took her blade from his neck. Just as she was about to turn around and meet her new opponent, she saw a flash from the corner of her eye. Tale held up her sword to block it, but was too late. All the hime could do was close her eyes and wait.

The blow never came.

"You can open your eyes now, Tale-chan." Tale's golden irises snapped open. Shunsui stood in the space between Nei and Take. His bare hand had stopped the blade. Nei sputtered in shock. "You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to attack a distracted opponent, especially a wounded woman."

Nei could only stare at the hand that was gripping onto his blade - but no blood showed. He was far from just afraid of the punishment he was most likely going to get. Tale could only stare, also. She could hear Asa snickering. Shunsui turned to his newest Division member, letting go of the zanpakutou.

"Are you alright, Tale-chan?" His eyes were looking at the blood that was starting to stand her uniform. Tale sheathed her zanpakutou and used her right hand to cover it up, putting pressure on the wound so she could stop the bleeding.

"It's just a flesh room, nothing a couple bandages and a few days of taking it easy can't fix." She smiled at him, reassuring. Shunsui returned it.

"Good." He patted her head affectionately, even though she was only a few inches shorter than him. "That was a nice little trick you had there at the end." Tale blushed slightly at the compliment, and bowed her head.

"Thank you, Kyouraku-taichou." Shunsui chuckled at her flustered face.

"What have I told you about the honorifics?"

"Kyouraku-dono?"

"Try again~"

"Shunsui-dono?"

The captain sighed, but covered it with a lazy smile. "I supposed that'll do for now."

"Taichou! We must get Shihouin-san healed so she may continue on with her test!" Kazūme said from her spot. Jinsu stepped forward.

"I know enough healing kidō that could fix the cut in just a few minutes, rather than having to go all the way out to the Fourth Division."

Shunsui chuckled, impressed. "You're a little multi-tasker aren't you, Jin-chan~?" Jinsu blushed slightly and fiddled with the pink hair-scarf she had on. Asa looked between the two. She obviously saw why Jinsu acted like such a schoolgirl around this certain flamboyant captain.

"I have a lot of free time on my hands since Sato-taichou does most of the paperwork." Tale rolled her eyes, having obviously been forgotten.

"Now's not the time to be speaking of free time, Jin. Tale is still losing blood."

"Oh, right!" Jinsu jumped slightly at Asa's voice and hurried over to her friend. Tale grinned at the dark-haired lieutenant as she laid her glowing green hands over the wound.

"Someone's got a crush~" Tale whispered to Jinsu. She blushed deeply, scolding her friend. She denied it immediately.

"Shut up, or I'll make you fight with a screwed up shoulder." Tale laughed at Jinsu's threat, obviously not phased. "Just remember how badly you swing a zanpakutou when using your right hand." Tale instantly stopped laughing. She sent her friend a glare; this time it was Jinsu's time to grin.

"Are you done yet?"

"Actually, yes I am." Jinsu pulled her hands away and produced a piece of cloth for Tale to wipe her hands off on. Tale took it with a nod of thanks and cleaned away the blood in between her friends and then the hilt of her zanpakutou.

There was still no answer from Hoshi. Tale sighed, giving up on reaching shikai.

"Now, may we please continue?" Kazūme asked with annoyance evident in her voice. Jinsu nodded and walked back over to where Asa was standing. The towel disappeared. Tale stretched out her left arm, rolled her shoulder some - trying to get the muscle ready for more fight.

Kazūme waved for a red headed man to step up. "Your next opponent is Runa Suiwa." He had a very lanky body. How was he a sixth seat?

"Shihouin-san," he said as he bowed to her. Tale was quick to do the same.

"Runa-san." At least he was polite, Tale thought as they both stood up straight.

"Begin!" Kazūme said, and this time (again), Tale was the first to try and get a hit in. She had her zanpakutou out and ready. Suiwa blocked it with his own katana. Tale threw a kick at his side, but to dodge it, Suiwa turned to his side breaking the connection of their weapons. Tale did a step of shunpo to appear behind him, but Suiwa saw through the trick. He blocked another blow. He may not be strong, but he obviously made up for it in speed.

"The same trick doesn't always work twice!" Suiwa sliced his sword through the air, missing Tale but just a god few inches after she moved.

"Well, I guess I'm going to have to find something else up my sleeve."

**-starlightstarbright-**

Ukitake Juushiro was feeling unusually well today. Why, he didn't know, but was not going to question it either. It was rare for him to feel this good after an attack, no matter the size. Maybe he should go see Retsu-san; maybe he was getting better?

"Ukitake-taichou! Where are you going?" exclaimed his lieutenant. Juushiro merely smiled at the worried man.

"I feel unusually well today, Daichi-san. I thought I might go for a walk, visit Kyouraku-taichou even."

Daichi seemed highly hesitant before nodding. "Of course taichou, I apologize for stopping you." He bowed to his captain. Juushiro simply scratched at the back of his neck.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Daichi-san. I shall join you in just a while to help with the paperwork. I'd like to catch up on what is happening around the Seireitei." Daichi had no where to put in a protest for his captain flashed away.

Juushiro appeared in front of the Eighth Division's gates. He casually walked in, used to doing this for the past two years. Some of the men in the courtyard stopped to greet him.

"Hello, there," the sickly captain smiled at the shinigami. "Would any of you happen to know where you captain is?"

One of the men answered, "Kyouraku-taichou and Shiba-fukutaichou are both in the training room testing a new recruit." Juushiro nodded to them and thanked the man before walking off to where he felt the reiatsu of his closest friend, his lieutenant, a few other men of the Eighth Division, Asa (an old classmate), and Hiworti-fukutaichou. And one that was quite familiar... but he couldn't figure out who the person was.

When Juushiro entered the room, he made sure to not let his presence none to anyone, but he knew Shunsui knew he was here. His old friend could tell he was anywhere near him for at least four klicks away. Juushiro watched the fight going on between Shunsui's sixth seat and... And a woman with a tan complexion and deep violet hair.

He watched her as she blocked Runa-san's zanpakutou and tried to get in her own few hits. Runa was obviously winning this fight. He had the upper hand of much more experience and the fact that the woman had obviously been injured in a previous fight. Her bloody shoulder gave away that.

Tale felt eyes on her. She wouldn't dare turn her head away from Suiwa, but she wanted to so badly. It wasn't the usual feel of observation. It was... different. Too different for her to explain. Tale became slightly distracted with her thoughts and almost couldn't block one of Suiwa's blows.

"I'm surprised you're still standing, Shihouin-san. I thought you would have given up by now." Tale swung, but didn't make it. Instead, she got a small slash on the back as Suiwa flashed to get out of the way. "Go ahead, show us your shikai. I'm dying to know what it is."

Tale's brow furrowed, but she didn't respond to his words. Only continued to block and fight back.

_"Okitetsu-sama..."_

'Not now, Hoshi! I'm busy here!' Even though Tale was relieved that her zanpakutou was talking again, this wasn't the right moment.

_"But Okitetsu-sama, I-"_

'I said not now!'

There was silence in her mind, before a loud metallic ring echoed in her mind. She closed her eyes and shook her head to make it go away.

_"You're ready. Say my name."_

Silence rang through the arena as Tale jumped back, her stance something they hadn't seen before. A whole new amount of confidence burned in her golden eyes.

"You said you want my shikai, right?" Runa Suiwa stepped back some, not knowing what to exactly expect. He himself was ready to release his own zanpakutou any second. "Well, here you go."

Tale gripped onto the blade of her zanpakutou, no blood began to drip. "Fall with the suns behind you," The kodachi glowed a violet color, before splitting into two pieces. "Gekijou no Sutanegai!" The split pieces of metal molded into a much smaller piece. Once into their needed shape, Tale snapped the tessen fans open. It was midnight black steel with white-gold stars (the same shape as that of the hilt guard on her seal zanpakutou) painted on them. Tale held them in a bent-knee stance.

Her legs were bent at the knee, all her weight resting on the balls of her feet, as she positioned the fans in front of her, ready to attack.

Runa laughed. "You think a pair of fans can do defeat me? You're sadly mistaken, princess!" Suiwa got ready to release his own zanpakutou, but Tale had been ready.

"Koufukin." She spun, lifting the fans in the air as she did so, and once back around Tale swiped them down creating a large column of air to shoot out at Runa. He was forced back, off his feet, and onto the ground.

Kazūme watched every moment with wide eyes, writing down what she could without missing something important. Runa Suiwa was not happy.

"Bury, Nadarefukyuu!" A pale blue colored urumi appeared in his hands, and Suiwa instantly snapped it out like a whip. Before Tale could blink, though, the ends had somehow been snapped out to her - and they hit their mark. Her wrists were bound by the sharp edges of the urumi. Her arms began to bleed. Regrettably, Tale had to drop her zanpakutou, and it went back to its sealed form as a kodachi.

She had been defeated, but Suiwa still didn't let go. He tugged on the handle of the urumi, making Tale stumbled forward and cutting deeper into her arms. Blood dripped down to the ground quickly.

"Stop! You have won, stop!" Everyone turned to face Juushiro as he stepped forward to stop the fight before it continued on any worse. Suiwa instantly released Tale's arms, reeling back the sharp ends. Jinsu rushed over to try and treat the cuts. Kazūme was still writing things in her file. Shunsui wouldn't meet Juushiro's eyes, knowing he could of (and should) have stopped the fight before it went this far. Asa rushed over to help Jinsu.

"Kyouraku-taichou, we must take her to the Fourth Division immediately! She's lost too much blood!"

**Author's Note:**

Well… wasn't that a drama/action filled chapter? I hope it was okay… and that I didn't make Tale seem Mary-Sue-ish. I would hate that.

Yay! Juu-kun! And we learn Tale's zanpakutou, too! Finally… it gets tiring to say "zanpakutou", "spirit" and "voice" all the time. I think I'll just stick with "Hoshi" from now on. /grin.

If there are any mistakes, please forgive me. I wasn't really paying much attention when going back over it. Also, if I missed any words (ones that you don't know), just tell me and I'll fix it~ thankies!

_Enputi-shian – Empty Meditation_

_Gekijou no Sutanegai – Fury of a Star's Wish_

_Koufukin – Grant_

_Nadarefukyuu – Eternal Avalanche _

_Urumi – it's a type of sword that has sharp, metal whip-like ends (look it up on Wikiapedia)_

I was wanting to ask something to all of you who read this story… Do you actually _like_ it? Because if you don't then I won't waste my time writing something that no one's going to read. Sure, I write it for fun, but I have other ideas I could be writing about. So, I would REALLY appreciate it if you would drop me a review, or even just send a message! Who knows… if you make me happy enough I might let you have a character in here~ (yes, that was a bribe. A failed attempt at one too.)

**Longest chapter yet! WHOOT.**


	8. Chapter Seven

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R S E V E N**

_There are more people who wish to be loved than there are who are willing to love._

"Do be more careful next time, Okitetsu-san."

"I shall try my best, Ume-taichou."

The young woman bowed at the waist in thanks before standing straight again and giving a small smile. The medic-Captain nodded with her own smile before playfully shooing the newest Sixth Seat of the Eighth Division out of the recovery room. Tale waved to a few slightly-familiar faces prior to leaving the sterile, yet fresh, scented building and taking her time to walk back to her barracks. Within a few seconds, Asa and Jinsu were at the girl's sides and firing off questions.

"What did she say?"

"Are you okay?"

"Is the asshole gonna get punished?"

"Are you okay?"

"Can I go beat him up for you?"

"Are you okay?"

"Of course she's okay, Jin! Don't insult Ume-chan with your ignorant questions!"

"I'm not insulting her, I'm just making sure Tale is alright, _mentally_!"

"Then one's mentality that we need to worry about is your own."

"Why I outta—"

Tale chuckled to herself, looking at the two fellow shinigami that she had come to call her family. Being almost a full head taller than the two higher-ranked seated officers, she wrapped her arms around their shoulders easily. This caused Jin to let a ghost of a smile grace her lips and Asa to calm down from the rampage she was about to go on. With a simple smile and a squeeze in a one-armed hug, Tale told them that she was perfectly fine. No more words needed to be spoken.

And so, the trio continued their slow trek to wherever they randomly decided to do. Jinsu's Sato-taichou had given her the rest of the afternoon off once learning of his lieutenant's friend's injury. Of course, she would have to make up for it with taking the morning while he slept in. Jinsu found that he deserved it and had no hesitation in agreeing to the terms.

With a sudden thought, Tale grinned mischievously and looked over at Jinsu.

"So, what's this I learn of your crush on Kyouraku-taichou?" Jinsu stopped short and turned the bright shade of crimson. Asa laughed whole-heartedly, grinning at her best friend when she sent a flushed glare in her direction.

"You have no place to laugh, Asa! I see the way you glance at Kuchiki-fukutaichou when passing by him."

A full out battle went between the two after that. Tale quickly interceded the two as they started to reveal a few needed-to-be-kept secrets to the rest of the Seireitei as the fight continued. The hime chuckled softly before grabbing their shoulders again and continued to walk.

"Alright, alright, I get it! I shouldn't have brought any of your crushes up. I shall remember that for future reference when I need a topic to speak with you two on."

As soon as Tale finished speaking, the trio bubbled out into a fit of hysterics. Asa and Jinsu apologized silently to one another, trying to believe that they had just gotten into a fight over the revelation of a simple infatuation. And then Tale stopped short, dropping her arms and reaching for the sheath on her right hip… only to find her kodachi not there.

Groaning to herself, Tale dropped her head with a sigh. "I can't believe I forgot my own zanpakuto…"

Asa and Jinsu frowned, but nodded and told her they would meet up later that night for small gathering for celebration of her making the sixth seated officer's position. Tale quickly waved to her friends before blurring into disappearance from a few quick steps of shunpo. It was only a matter of moments before she found herself stepping back through the entrance of the medical-based Division's doors. At the front desk, a young fresh-out the academy student looked up from a log book.

"Shihouin-san?" the receptionist's spoke questioningly, not understanding why she was back so soon.

Tale smiled sheepishly. "I forgot Sutanegai," she said, motioning to her bare side. The girl nodded, motioning for her to continue on. Tale bobbed her head once in acknowledgement before going off to the recovery room that she had just left. Subconsciously, Tale scratched at the white bandages wrapped around her arms – from her wrist to mid-forearm. She had been healed, but the scars that were going to be there had a weird feeling.

Stepping into the recovery room, she found the bed that she had been using not made yet and her zanpakuto resting against the headboard of the bed. Hoshi's thoughts bombarded her mind.

_You forgot me, Oki-chan! How could you do such a thing?_

Tale chuckled, swiping the spirit blade up and pushing the sheath into her just-loose-enough obi sash wrapped around her waist. She had not found the time to personalize her shihakushō in any way, as of yet. When she had enough time on her hands, Tale made a mental note to spend her time in the small market located near the Tenth Division and buy some material.

Tuning her attention away from the bumbling words of her zanpakuto's spirit, Tale moved out of the empty recovery room and back down the hall. She moved past other Fourth Division members, recovering shinigami and made her way out to the front entrance of the division's headquarters once again. Looking away for just a moment at hearing the crash of a metal tray on the wood floor, Tale felt her body ram into another.

Stumbling back, she looked up, ready to apologize immediately before her amber eyes locked with soft green.

Beautiful, gorgeous, _alive_ green.

She had never seen another so _alive_.

"Shihouin-san!" exclaimed the timid but deep voice; he gripped her shoulders to keep them both balanced and on their feet. Tale blinked a few times, rearing back to see the full features of the man's face.

"Ukitake-taichou!" she exclaimed back. Now most of the attention was on them. She dropped her head to her chest, her back now the only thing he saw as she bowed. "Please forgive me for paying no attention to where I step! I apologize deeply for my ignorance!" The lobby was dead silent as Juushiro tried to find a way to not cause any more embarrassment from the scene that had been formed.

Tale barely noticed the soft grip on her shoulders pulling her up from the bowing position and her hair whipping behind her head like a whip as the familiar speed of a flash step was made. She found herself taking in a new scent of cherry blossoms instead of the sterile smell of the Fourth Division. She looked up in surprise, staring at the captain that was slightly flushed in the face and still holding her by the bicep.

Hoshi was silent.

The two shinigami looked at one another before a fit of laughter overcame the two. Tale leaned against Juushiro as she staggered from her second attack of hysteria in the past hour. Juushiro himself couldn't help the warm embrace he brought the women into before he stopped from a small coughing fit. Tale straightened up immediately, holding the sickly man into a standing position. The fit lasted only a few moments, but the outcome was still just as bad as any other attack.

"Ukitake-taichou?" she spoke softly, being extremely careful with everything she did. Her hand rubbed gentle circles between his shoulder blades as she tried to lessen the pain of the coughing fit. He lasted only a few moments, but Juushiro was still very weary like after every attack. He breathed deeply, wincing at the burning sensation in his lungs.

"Shall I walk you back to Ume-taichou?" Tale asked softly, cautious of all his senses. Juushiro shook his head hurriedly, trying his best to stand back up to his full height, but Tale could not allow him to do such a thing. Slowly, she moved him from behind a tall wall to a lone crate and sat him down. Juushiro gave a small look of appreciation before trying to catch his breath again. Tale listened to the wheezing that he did.

Tale was just about to shunpo over to the Fourth Division and grab Ume-taichou before Juushiro's breathing evened out and the harsh wheezes and winces ceased. Tale was kneeled in front of him, one hand on his knee and the other on his shoulder, holding him up. The worried look was back.

"Ukitake-taichou?" Tale said to grab the captain's attention. Juushiro looked down at her, his facial expression telling he was listening. "I do believe I should get you to—"

"Juu!" came the laced-with worry voice of a certain Kyouraku Shunsui as he stepped around the corner. He knew the sickly man so well, that he could tell by just the release of reiatsu, when Juushiro was having an attack. Even though he had sensed Tale in the vicinity, Shunsui hadn't expected to find her there. With Juushiro. Holding him up. Trying to get him to let her go get Ume or Retsu.

"Hime-chan?" Shunsui tilted his head, brows furrowed into a confused expression before his infamous grin graced his lips and his strong arms crossed his chest. "I do apologize if I interrupted something…"

The look Tale and Juushiro shared was a pure horror, and slight disappointment for the falsity of the suggestion made by Shunsui; the two went into a fit of corrections on the situation, Tale jumping up and stepping back, but closer to her captain.

"Do not think such things, Shunsui-dono! Ukitake-taichou had bumped into my back at the Fourth Division and we were distracted in a conversation when we started to laugh on a subject and he had a coughing fit."

Shunsui almost believed the girl before he saw her glance to the left. A sure sign of lying, but, he would allow the lie this time, knowing nothing was going on between his sixth seat and best friend. (He knew all the juicy gossip around the Seireitei anyways.) Shunsui waved off the disaccusations, but the grin never left his lips. He stepped over to Juushiro's side and helped his friend up before turning his attention briefly in Tale's direction.

"Zuzu-chan is looking for you, hime-chan~ I'll take Juu-kun to see Retsu," Shunsui stated before starting the small trek to the Fourth Division with Juushiro leaning against his side. Tale watched, before taking her time on the journey back to the Eighth Division, her thoughts crowded with multiply things.

She scratched at the scars on her wrists.

**-starlightstarbright-**

"_WHAT_ happened?" Asa asked as she stood from her chair at the table in the back corner of the small bar that the trio had decided they would go to for the celebration of Tale's feat of making sixth seat. Even though she would have been just fine with tenth or no position at all, Tale was very proud of herself.

She nodded, silently sipping at her alcohol, not daring to say another word. A few eyes landed on the three women before going back to the front of the bar or to their own companions. Jinsu ushered Asa back into her seat, scolding her for making such a scene. Asa only continued to pester Tale for an answer.

"Seriously? You forgot Hoshi-chan? How can you _do_ that? I would die if I didn't have Narakukanki with me at all times! Jin, you'd be the same if it were with Rosutodoriko."

Jin gave a slow hesitant nod in agreement before pulling her attention to Tale.

Tale was silently drinking her sake and cherry blossom mixed-drink, taking in the rich yet sweet taste of it. Her eyes were focused on the rough texture of the wooden table under them, but her mind was elsewhere.

_Okitetsu-san._

"_Yes, Hoshi?"_

…_why did you forget me?_

"_I don't understand what you're saying, Hoshi."_

Why _did you forget me?_

"_I didn't forget you on purpose! How could you think such a thing?"_

_I can see into your mind, Okitetsu-san._

Silence was all that met the zanpakuto.

**Author's Note:**

_OMG. COULD IT BE? IS IT REALLY?_

Yup! I've finally updated. It's been over a year . . . but someone reviewed the other day and inspiration was set in my mind. I already have an idea for the next chapter, so hopefully I can get it out before my three-day holiday is taken away. (Today is my little brother's birthday. He's eight! And then Monday is Labor Day and I'm doing homework…)

Here's a few translations!

_(Gekijou no) Sutanegai – Fury of a Star's Wish_

_Narakukanki – Hell's Frost_

_Rosutodoriko – Lost Dancer_

_Hoshi – star_

Review and subscribe please! They all make me a happy writer!

Also! I've been asked where I get my translations from - it's a mixture of different things but I mainly get all my Zanpakuto translations from Freedict . com. :)


	9. Chapter Eight

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R E I G H T**

_A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie._

The room was dimly lit; only the outline of objects could be made. The door slid open; only the black silhouette of the person could be seen. Soft words were whispered to a maid servant before the silhouette stepped inside and the door was closed.

The room lay in silence, and the silence lay on the sore soul of the being standing near the door.

The room was small, but quaint. Many things littered the shelves and tables and floorboards. The figure stepped forward, knowing exactly where she was going in the dim lighting. Her satin covered feet muffled her steps as she quietly, but quickly, walked to her destination.

The room held many objects, but she was only looking for the long black box.

The room was silent once again, but soon filled soft whispered words.

"I have missed you very much, old friend."

The room held a small echo, but the sound settled into silence.

"How long has it been, fifty years?"

The room gave no answer.

"One hundred years?"

The room was in left in silence.

"Natsu has grown into a healthy young man. You would be proud of him…"

The room seemed to shift. She smiled.

"He shall make a wonderful taichou. Do you think He will recognize Natsu? See my features and then His own prominent ones?"

The room shifted again.

"It has been too long since I have seen Him… do you think He remembers me?"

The room laid still.

"Of course he does! You are right. How could I be so foolish?"

The room's dim lighting grew dimmer. She heard the soft knock on the doors wooden frame; the signal that someone was coming. A soft sigh left her lips but she didn't move her hand from the locked black box.

"I shall have you back, Hoshi. I promise you that."

The room stayed silent, but what she heard in her mind was like that of the wedding gong that had signaled the end of her life. But this sound, this sound was the hum, the echo, the _word_ that brought meaning back into her dead life.

…_Okitetsu-san…_

**-starlightstarbright-**

_Present Day_

"Why did I sign up for this?" Tale shouted over the loud crash as she ran through the crowded, war littered streets of a small village. When she had first been given information on the mission in the Rukongai, they said it was a simple go in and exterminate a couple of Hollows that had been hanging around. The file never said anything about the Hollows (that's plural not singular) being as big as Shunsui's office and able to spit out _acid_.

"He owes me a week of vacation!" she hissed at her captain as she dodged another string of bright green liquid that would burn right through her skin. She had seen the outcome of what it did on the poor souls here in Rukongai and would love for that to _not_ happen to her. Of all the years she had been a shinigami nothing this bad had ever happened. (No, wait, she takes that back. There was that one mission with an Eleventh Division member where she pushed him in front of a Hollow and he ended up losing a few fingers…)

Tale rolled out of the way as a shack came crashing down on her. She hissed when rotten wood block hit her shoulder; there was going to be a bruise there tomorrow. The Hollow that had been chasing her, jumped to another shack and caused the poorly made building to come crashing down in a cloud of dust and mildew. Tale coughed to get the pollution out of her lungs, but barely just dodged a sharp-clawed swipe going for her middle.

Where was that backup she had called for?

The Hollow gave out a high pitched screech, causing Tale to cringe and cover her ears. She didn't dodge the second swipe. Sickly yellow claws dug into her side; she couldn't hold back the scream. And then the vision of destruction was tainted by a bright pink of a floral kimono that she knew only one certain person would wear.

"I think it's my turn to play, now."

Tale let out a sigh of relief at the sound of her captain's voice. She lay on the ground, one hand pressing against the fabric just barely covering her bleeding side. Only one of the claws had done much damage, but the depth of the wound was what made it so bad. Tale winced when a tremor shook the ground and caused her to press on the wound harder than needed.

The last Hollow gave one more screech before Shunsui gave one last swipe of the sealed Katen Kyokotsu. Quickly, he resheathed his zanpakuto; Tale soon found herself being lifted into the strong, warm arms of her captain her fingers digging into the black kimono fabric barely covering his chest. Except something didn't feel right…

"Wait," she demanded, but her voice was weak. Her vision was growing blurry. Shunsui looked down at her, confusion causing his brows to furrow into the middle of his forehead.

"Yes, hime-chan?"

"My badge…" she mumbled, moving her right hand to grip at the bare skin on her upper left bicep. Shunsui chuckled, but understood completely. Kneeling down into the dirt beside the bronze badge, Tale reached over (wincing the entire time as the ripped skin on her side pulled) and grabbed it. She placed the symbol of honor against her stomach beside her zanpakuto, and simply let the rush of air whip her messy hair around.

**-thefirststariseetonight-**

When Tale began to reawaken from her lack-of-blood caused fatigue, there was a fury of different words. Many were yelled, some spoken on soft tones, other said in simple voices at simple pitches of an unknown octave. But the sounds were not what caught her attention; instead, the familiar rich smell of jasmine and vanilla sugar made her eyes blink open to find a familiar mocha skin-tone teenage boy grinning at her from under a mess of royal purple hair.

"Ryuu-kun?" she whispered, surprised to see her little brother.

"Onee-chan!" Ryuunosuke wrapped his thin arms around his older sister's neck, happy to finally see her awake. Tale huffed out a breath of air in surprise, but embraced the boy nonetheless. The conversations that had been going on stopped; she looked around, seeing four pairs of eyes looking in on the pair. Slowly, Tale sat up, wincing and grabbing her side. Ryuunosuke eagerly sat on the edge of the bed beside his sister, observing all the new things about her that he hadn't seen in the last few decades of not seeing her.

He held her hand, tracing the scars that wrapped around her wrists and forearm. He traced a few of them before touching the rough calluses on the palms of her hands. Ryuu glanced over at the yellow hilted kodachi that he had seen only a handful of times since his onee-chan had first been blessed with it.

"You bastard…"

Tale looked up, eyes wide with shock as she watched Shihouin Amishiko walk into the hospital room.

"You bastard!" Amishiko turned away from her daughter and to the nonchalant looking Shunsui. Her well manicured hand was balled into a fist raised above her well-groomed head. "How dare you do this to my daughter! Now she will never marry Keshemu-dono!"

The group of four (not including Ryuunosuke or Amishiko) stared in absolute disgust, shock, or a mixture of the two at the duchess.

"I will never marry that pig!" Tale shouted at her mother, moving Ryuu to the side as she moved to stand. Neither Shunsui nor Juushiro could stop the stubborn lieutenant before it was too late and she was standing. Amishiko turned back around, her face uglied with a look of rage. "The day I marry that beast is the day I die!"

"You _will_ marry that man even if it means making you wear concealer to cover those disgusting marks that these monsters have put on you!"

Tale would not have any more of her mother's words.

"The monsters that put these scars on me were the ones I was protecting your royal ass from! It is because of me that you continue to live, mother! And I will continue to do so! Father put me into Shino Academy with my future in mind."

"And with your father now passed, his attempts on your future were made in vain!"

Silence seemed to have taken over the world.

Tale didn't know whether to cry or laugh in irony. Amishiko's hard expression softened, regretting that her only daughter had to find out such a thing the way she did.

"What has happened to my darling doll? You used to walk like a butterfly on a fresh spring morning. You used to speak with such elegance, and now you are dirtying your precious voice with curses of the warriors!"

Tale turned away from her mother, not able to look at both her mother nor her captain and his closest friend standing behind her. Ume Ioshi finally stepped in after seeing that the stress of the situation had caused Tale's wound to open up once again.

"I do apologize, Shihouin-dono, but I must ask you to leave. My patient needs to rest, not arguments."

Amishiko said no more before waving Ryuu to follow and walked out the door. Tale couldn't watch. And then the tears began to flow.

How long had her father been dead? She had been so out of contact with her own family that she missed her father's own passing. Ioshi sat beside the emotionally drained shinigami, placing a gentle head on the girl's shoulder to show she was there. Shunsui, not being able to tolerate watching such a young girl cry in front of him, stepped forward and rested his hand on her head. He felt the silk like purple locks of her hair.

Tale looked up, her topaz eyes dead to the world. Juushiro stepped out of the room.

"Whatever you decide on, I shall support you no matter what, hime-chan."

She couldn't hide the small smile of thanks before she began to cry harder.

It was an ultimatum that she could not make a decision on; she refused to make a decision! How could she pick between her life as a shinigami, fighting the evil forces of the Hollows and protecting the souls of the world, and that of a princess that was to do as she was told the first time she was told it? Tale had changed over the century she had been in the Seireitei.

"Ume-taichou…" Tale spoke soft, her voice laced with tears. She rubbed her cheeks, the salt making them itch. "May I go back to my barracks?"

Ioshi did not reply before giving a small nod that Tale did not see. Ioshi answered, "Of course."

Tale disappeared with the familiar rush of air that told she had done the quickest way to get away from someone – shunpo. Except Tale did not return to her barracks, or the Shihouin household; instead, she found herself on her knees, holding the aching wound on her side as she stared at the headstone of her just-informed late father. Five years… it had been five years since his death. How many times had she spoken with her family in the last five years? Once, maybe twice if she remembered to update them on things going on in the Seireitei.

Family was the most important thing to her, but she ignored her own like the human plague.

**Author's Note:**

Yay! Another chapter! Aren't you happy?

I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed and subscribed so far! You've all made me very happy. I might even get another chapter out by tonight… Just depends.

:iamsosneakyplz:

This chapter was a little slow, more of a filler, but there was a big foreshadow!

Did anyone catch it? ;3

xoxo. Apples.


	10. Chapter Nine

A Falling Star's Last Wish

**C H A P T E R N I N E**

_I don't know whether war is an interlude during peace, or peace is an interlude during war._

_Fifty Years Ago_

"You want me to do, _what_?" Tale voiced as she stared at the woman sitting across from her. Lieutenant of the Eighth Division, Shiba Kazūme, sat at the small table sipping on her tea. She drank slowly, elegantly, before placing the cup back on the saucer and sat the saucer back on the table before her. Kazūme folded her hands in her lap, looking down at the bronze badge sitting in the middle of the table.

"I wish for you to take over my position."

"But, I'm only a sixth seat! I am still nowhere near to defeating Runa-san! And I know I shall never win against Wasebi or Hanu!"

Kazūme chuckled softly; she pulled her hands from her lap and reached across the table to hold Tale's hands. Amber eyes met deep brown.

"Sixth seat or not, everyone in the Division agrees that you should be the new fukutaichou."

Tale pouted, exhaling a huff of air.

"Why can't you just come back after having the little one?"

Kazūme chuckled again, squeezing Tale's hands in her own. "I would if I could, but Daisuke wishes for me to stay home and teach the little one of the Soul Society – and I cannot help but agree with him. My work here is done. I have paid my part in this afterlife." Tale only nodded in acknowledgement. "Besides, the big oaf will only listen to a female. That is why I always have to reread over the notes at the Captains' meetings."

Both women giggled to themselves over this small fact before going back to their tea. Tale stared down at the bronze badge, her fingers itching to touch it. She had dreamed of the day where she would do more than just clean up a Hollow's mess or do paperwork when her own lieutenant was too busy and her captain was too lazy.

"You will do great, Okitetsu-chan."

Tale looked up, smiling. "After all these years, you still call me Okitetsu."

Kazūme nodded with a glowing grin. "And you still call me stiff-necked witch behind my back."

Tale snorted out a laugh, choking on her tea. She smiled sheepishly. "So you heard about that, I see…"

With the mischievous looks the pair was giving each other, the two women burst out into a fit of laughter.

**-starlightstarbright-**

_Thirty Years Ago_

It was the early morning, and most birds would not even be awake, but a certain Shihouin lieutenant was. She changed from the simple white linen sleeping gown and grabbed the first of her shihakushō; the white shitagi and white hakama-himo were to go on after she took the time to do the tedious task of wrapping her chest in bandages. Next, she grabbed the sleeveless black kosode and black semi-skin tight hakama to put on. Fabric tended to slow her down, so the less of it meant she could go faster when using shunpo.

Finding herself dressed, Tale grabbed the pale yellow obi from off the back of a chair and tied it securely around her waist. Sitting on the desk in her quarters was her lieutenant's badge, which she proudly slid onto her left bicep with much ease. Lastly, Tale moved to pull on her white tabi and laced up the waraji she wore over her tabi. Placing a simple leather strap in between her teeth, she walked out her door with Sutanegai already resting against her right hip and pulling her long, silky purple hair back into a ponytail. Her short bangs framed the sides of her face as she tied the hair back.

Many seated officers greeted her with welcoming smiles, which she returned, as she walked to the office where she knew paperwork awaited her. Of all the Divisions to get hounded with the filing, the Eighth Division was the one picked – and they all _knew_ how lazy the captain was.

"Good morning hime-chan~!" Shunsui greeted from his seat, at his desk, with a brush in his hand, filling out paperwork.

Tale stood in shock at the door, looking in on the scene before her. Slowly, she backed away from the door and turned around, blinking a few times to make sure her eyes were working right. Frowning, she turned back around and looked into the office. Just as she had first seen, Shunsui was still sitting at his desk, humming one of his random tunes as he filled out more files and papers.

Instantly, the fukutaichou knew something was up.

"What do you want?" Tale asked, stepping into the office with her arms folded over her chest. Shunsui chuckled, finally putting the brush down and look up at his lieutenant. She noticed something… different about him.

…where in the world had that god-awful pink kimono come from?

"Will you go drinking with Juushiro and me tonight?" He grinned at her, pulling his ruggedly handsome look on her that Tale knew would make most women melt into puddles of sake at his feet. But with her being on the same division with him for the past eighty years, it became old after the first few uses.

Tale sighed, knowing she needed a night to where she could just let loose.

"Fine, I shall go drinking with you and Ukitake-taichou tonight."

Shunsui grinned like a little boy in a candy shop before standing from his seat and stepping toward the large opened window.

"In that case, I believe I shall go watch the peach blossoms bloom."

Finding it too late to stop him, Tale watched as her captain jumped from the window and made his way over to the nearest peach tree that gave a nice amount of sweet shade for him to lie under. Tale watched him walk with his small amount of swagger in his step before she called out to him:

"Where did you get that kimono from?"

He answered without missing a beat, "Zuzu-chan sent it to me!"

**-thefirststariseetonight-**

_Twenty Years Ago_

The rustle and bustle of the bar was what welcomed the drunken senses of Tale as she took another large gulp of sake. Shunsui, being the heavyweight he was, couldn't help but laugh at the lightweight actions that Tale had. He had never seen her drink alcohol except for a few times that he could count of three of his fingers.

Juushiro was the exact same way. Sure, Shunsui had seen him drink more than three times, but the way he acted made the two seem like that had lost his mind. How had he gotten the two to drink again? Oh yes, he pulled his _I'll do your paperwork if you go drinking with me_, where he only ended up doing two or three papers and then magically ended up asleep under a blossoming cherry tree.

The two were now putty in his hands.

"Juu-kun~" Shunsui spoke, leaning in toward his closest friend. The white haired captain toward away from laughing at something that Tale had said, to looking at Shunsui with hazed over eyes.

"Yes, my truest and best friend how always smells of sake, ink, and sakura blossoms~?"

Tale giggled drunkenly at his words, dropping her head in her arms as she rested her arms on the table. She didn't hear the jumble of whispered words that the pair talked over. But she did feel the soft tap on her shoulder. The hime looked up into the lush green eyes of the taichou that she had come to know as one of her closest friends.

"Yes Ukitake-taichou?"

Even when drunk she kept her respect for all her superiors.

The next action almost surprised her into sobriety. His soft hand gently caressed her mocha-toned cheek. She blinked, the blurry vision becoming clearer as her mind unfogged.

"Ukitake-taichou?" she asked, but was answered with an action, not words.

His lips tasted like the sake that Shunsui had bought. Tale had never cared much for the taste of sake, but she would drown in this taste if she could. The noise of the bar drowned out in her ears and all she could hear was the beating of her heart and the beat of his. Her hand moved from beside her drink on the table to grip the white fabric of his captain's haori.

Tale's drunkenness disappeared with the time as she let her eyes close and float in the bliss that she had been given for this small moment of time. And then it was over, just like that, and the duties as a fukutaichou and hime came pouring back on her shoulders. She pulled away first.

Shunsui sat silent, being the awkward third wheel of the situation. He half-expected the outcome that had happened, but he was still surprised.

"I'm sorry," she said, standing from her side of the booth and walking out of the bar. Asa and Jinsu had been watching the scene from far away, sat in their corner seats before running out of the building after their best friend. Tale was stumbling through the dark empty streets of the Seireitei on her way to her room in the Eighth Division.

Asa was the first to reach out for her friend, gently grabbing her arm and stopping her from going any farther. When Jinsu also reached out, Tale was slowly turned around. They watched in shock as she turned around.

"I want to love him, but I can't."

Asa frowned. "Who, Juu-kun?" Tale nodded. Jinsu sighed, giving the girl a sympathetic look. "Why can't you, love?" Asa asked, whipping the tears off Tale's cheeks with her thumbs.

"Because I am promised to someone else."

The words were harsh, stern, but held such sadness the two shinigami didn't know how to respond.

"That's why I left Sutanegai behind that one time after my officer evaluation. I had to know if I could still hear her when I was far away. I knew one day she would be taken from me and I would no longer be a shinigami."

Silence filled the air.

"I want to love him, but I can't. It will only cause a war to destroy the peace that I have come to live in."

**-wishimaywishimight-**

_Present Day_

"Fall with the suns behind you," Tale commanded, gripping the blade of the kodachi as it glowed a violent purple and began to split into two. "Gekijou no Sutenegai!" The metal glowed for another moment before simmering into the midnight black steel of an unfolded form of a pair of tessen fans.

"Terasu," was the next spoken command. Shunsui watched on quietly as the scene around him flashed a bright white. Once everything held color again, Tale's tessen fans were spread open and swinging in a downward motion to slash at the wooden dummy used in her secret sparing practice. She knew how to hide her reiatsu signature very well, but that one small spike of just before she attacked was what gave her position away.

Juushiro had joined him on this small unperverse peep session just a few moments before she went through the special ability of Sutanegai known as '_Terasu'_. It obviously made the opponent's vision became disoriented so that Tale could attack with the sharp blade made from her tessen.

And then Tale came to a stop. Her composure was settled and her heavy breath evened out into deep slow ones. They watched on, not suspecting what was to come next.

It as soft, whispered almost, but determined and stern and held so much courage that the two men almost felt like they had seen a whole new Shihouin Okitetsu; it was as if a whole new being had just been brought before their eyes.

_It is time, Okitetsu-sama._

"Bankai."

**Author's Note:**

I'm so very evil, aren't I? :3

This was kind of an interlude to explain what happened between the 100 years that passed between chapters seven and eight. And I kind of ran out of ideas of what to write… a whole new list of possibilities have been brought forth from this small writing escapade! :3

Now you need some translations, yes?

_Shihakushō – garmet of the dead souls;  
consists of, but not limited to: a white shitagi – kind of like an under shirt  
white hakama-himo – kind of like white under pants  
black kosodo – the black top like thing that all shinigami wear.  
black hakama – the black pants  
tabi – socks  
waraji – sandals  
obi – sash or belt like thing, usually white._

_Tessen – steel fan used in feudal war days_

_Terasu – means 'to shine on'; one of the four special abilities that Tale has acquired from Sutanegai. The other three are:  
Koufukin – 'grant'; mentioned in chapter six; creates a large column of air that sends the opponent flying back.  
Shinme – 'shoot'; to be mentioned later on.  
Kieuseru – 'disappear'; to be mentioned later on._

Reviews and subscriptions very much loved! Maybe I'll get something out soon instead of being swamped with AP homework, band practice, and the need to sleep.

xoxo. Apples.


End file.
